CSS
Cascading Style Sheets
A language for specifying the visual styling and layout of web pages
In Simple Terms
CSS is a language for specifying a website's design — things like text color, size, and layout. While HTML creates the structure of a page (marking up headings, images, and so on), CSS is what gives that structure its look and feel. With CSS, you keep visual styling separate from the HTML, which means updating a single file can change the design across an entire website all at once.
Behind the Name
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. "Cascading" means flowing in sequence — like a series of waterfalls — while "Style Sheets" refers to a set of design instructions. The name captures how CSS resolves conflicts when multiple style rules apply to the same element, determining which rule takes priority.
Take a Closer Look!
CSS is a language for specifying a website's design — including text color, size, and layout.
It's almost always used alongside HTML when building web pages.
While HTML defines the structure and meaning of a web page, CSS is responsible for making that structure look good.
For example, CSS can style the typography of a page's text, give buttons a three-dimensional appearance, or automatically switch between layouts depending on whether someone is viewing the site on a smartphone or a computer.
One of the biggest advantages of CSS is that it lets you manage visual styling separately from your HTML.
By editing a single CSS file, you can update the design across an entire website with hundreds of pages all at once — making it an essential tool for running a website efficiently.