Welcome to the CSS blog!
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and designates a style language for web documents. CSS instructs a browser or other user program on how the document should be presented to the user, for example by defining fonts, colors, background images, layout, column placement or other elements on the page, etc.
The history of CSS proceeds on tracks parallel to those of HTML, of which it wants to be the ideal complement. In fact, since ever, in the intentions of the men of W3C, HTML should be seen simply as a structural language, alien to any purpose related to the presentation of a document.
For this purpose, that is to enrich the visual aspect and presentation of a page, the designated tool is precisely the CSS. The ideal pursued for years can be summarized with a well-known expression: separating the content from the presentation.
The first official specification of CSS (CSS 1) dates back to December 1996. In May 1998 it was the turn of the second version: CSS 2.
Advantages of using CSS:
- the code is divided into content and design. We get a lighter and clearer code;
- The design file is downloaded only once and cached – traffic, download time and server load are reduced;
- Simplicity of the CSS language itself + the principle of separation of design from content – reduces the time to develop and maintain the site;
- One CSS manages the display of multiple HTML pages. Design changes are made faster;
- CSS provides additional formatting options for which only attributes are used, and it was not necessary to dream about them;
- The mechanism of connection of different CSS for different types of displaying devices is realized;
- Increased compatibility with different platforms through the use of web standards.
CSS is a powerful technology that allows you to describe the rules of HTML document design, separate them from the content. One of the key requirements, among those that the modern labor market puts forward the designer is a thorough knowledge of CSS. At the same time, CSS is quite easy to learn.
No upheavals, but many additions compared to the first one. CSS 2 is nothing more than CSS 1 plus some new properties, property values and definitions for non canonical styles such as those aimed at the press or the definition of audio content. While the CSS3 specification was taking shape, a revision of the second specification, called CSS 2.1, was also carried out, reaching the status of official recommendation in June 2011. This guide is based on this revision.
In fact, all desktop browsers used today guarantee full support for the CSS 2.1 specification and the properties covered by this guide. It’s no longer time to break your head in search of a solution to this or that bug, but to focus on the potential of CSS and put it into practice. Enjoy reading.