Cascading Style Sheets

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) describe how documents are presented on screens, in print, or perhaps how they are pronounced. The W3C has actively promoted the use of style sheets on the Web since 1994. Two W3C Recommendations (CSS1 and CSS2) which are widely, although not consistently, implemented in browsers. Starting with version 3 Internet Explorer has supported CSS. Netscape has supported CSS since version 4. Opera has supported CSS since version 3.5 and seems to do the best job to date. However, their support varies so it's best to check the use out with various browsers.

One of the fundamental features of CSS is that style sheets cascade; authors can attach a preferred style sheet, while the reader may have a personal style sheet to adjust for human or technological handicaps. Rules for resolving conflicts are defined in the specifications.

CSS1

CSS1 is a simple mechanism for adding style (e.g. fonts, colors, spacing) to Web documents.

CSS2

CCS2 builds on CCS1 and, with very few exceptions, all valid CCS1 style sheets are valid CCS2 style sheets. CCS2 supports media-specific style sheets so that authors may tailor the presentation of their documents to visual browsers, aural devices, printers, braille devices, handheld devices, etc. This specification also supports content positioning, downloadable fonts, table layout, features for internationalization, automatic counters and numbering, and some properties related to user interface.

Syntax of a style sheet.
Properties of a style sheet.
Using a style sheet.
Examples of style sheets.
Additional information about style sheets.

Hans Amann Nov. 18, 1998

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