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Glossary – CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)

Nikiforov Alexander
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What is CSS?

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language that allows you to specify the visual styling of web pages. It works in conjunction with the HTML markup language, where developers create the document structure: headings, subheadings, lists, and links. With CSS, you can change the style of all elements on a page: from text color to button backgrounds. For example, to change the text color from black to red, you simply need to add the corresponding CSS property "color" in the HTML code. Thus, CSS is an integral part of web development, enabling the creation of attractive and functional interfaces.

The Importance of Cascading Style Sheets

The main task of CSS is to create the visual styling of HTML elements. The key advantages of using CSS include:

  • Aesthetics of Web Pages: Without CSS, websites would look primitive, consisting of simple text with basic formatting.
  • Consistency in Design: CSS allows you to apply common style rules across all pages of a site, ensuring their coherence.
  • Quick Modification: CSS enables fast changes to element styles, which is particularly convenient when it’s necessary to modify the styling of buttons or other elements across all pages.
  • Responsiveness: CSS helps create pages that automatically adjust to different devices thanks to media queries.
  • Accessibility: CSS can improve content accessibility for people with disabilities by adding contrasting colors and increasing font size.
  • Interactive Elements: CSS allows for the creation of simple animations and effects without using JavaScript or Flash.

How to Use CSS

The syntax of CSS is based on rules that define the style of HTML elements. Each rule consists of a selector, properties, and values. Styles can be applied in several ways:

  • Inline Styles: Adding styles directly in the HTML code using the style attribute.
  • Internal Styles: Styles are placed within the <style> tag in the <head> section.
  • External Styles: Creating a separate CSS file that is linked to the HTML document via the <link> tag.

External styles are the most common method, as they allow for managing the styles of the entire site from a single file, providing convenience and simplicity in maintenance.

CSS Methodologies

CSS methodologies help simplify code and avoid style conflicts. The most popular methodologies include:

  • BEM: Based on the use of blocks, elements, and modifiers, making the code understandable and easy to work with.
  • SMACSS: Focused on creating a code structure, which facilitates project maintenance and scalability.
  • OOCSS: Separates the structure of an element from its styling, making it easy to change and move components.

The choice of an appropriate methodology depends on the size and complexity of the project, as well as the preferences of the developers. Adhering to a unified methodology simplifies collaboration and code maintenance, which is especially important in team projects.