| CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. It is a | | | | downloaded while table-designed pages need to be |
| language used to describe the style and presentation | | | | downloaded fully before they can be displayed. |
| of a document written in a special language called the | | | | The use of CSS is particularly beneficial in reaching |
| markup language. Web pages written in Hyper Text | | | | millions of users of devices other than personal |
| Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible HTML | | | | computers like mobile phones and handheld internet |
| (XHTML) are examples of markup languages | | | | devices. A CSS-less web page would look awful on |
| commonly used. A markup language is concerned | | | | the small screen of such devices. CSS enables us to |
| with formatting the content of a webpage whereas | | | | create a page specifically for these devices with the |
| the style sheet language pertains to the presentation | | | | minimum of effort. In this way, CSS has led to |
| and design of the page. The CSS specifications are | | | | widespread accessibility of information. Modern HTML |
| maintained by a standards body known as the World | | | | pages can be quite complex which is an impediment |
| Wide Web Consortium or W3C. Due to this fact, CSS | | | | to the indexing function of search engines on the |
| is sometimes also referred to as W3C CSS. | | | | internet. CSS-designed pages reduce this complexity |
| The primary purpose of CSS is to separate the | | | | and allow your pages to rank higher in search results. |
| content and presentation aspects of a web page. | | | | CSS also helps in printing pages you might find |
| This carries a significant number of advantages that | | | | interesting. Typical HTML pages get printed with |
| really promote the readability of the page by | | | | unnecessary interface elements like menus. CSS can |
| conforming to a pre-defined and consistent interface | | | | be used to define special print-friendly pages that |
| design. CSS helps in a lot of other ways too. People | | | | contain only the content you are interested in |
| access the internet using different network | | | | printing. |
| connections. Not all of these connections are fast. It | | | | With all these great advantages, the only fly in the |
| is not uncommon for people to run out of patience if | | | | ointment is the less than stellar implementation of the |
| a web page takes too long to load. This might force | | | | W3C CSS standard in popular web browsers. As of |
| them to go elsewhere for their information needs | | | | this writing, no web browser out there conforms |
| and this would lower your internet traffic. Before | | | | completely to the CSS specification. Browsers with |
| CSS, tables were used extensively in HTML pages | | | | good CSS support include Firefox, Safari and Opera. |
| for the presentation of information. These tables can | | | | The worst offender in rendering CSS-driven web |
| be cumbersome to use and don't always result in | | | | pages is also ironically the most used web browser in |
| good visual presentation. CSS not only improves the | | | | the world - Internet Explorer. However, with |
| look of web pages but pages designed with CSS also | | | | developers of these browsers working fervently to |
| load faster than those designed with tables. CSS can | | | | improve CSS standards compliance, it won't be too |
| lower web page sizes by as much as 60% which | | | | long before anyone opening any page on any |
| translates to less waiting time. CSS-designed pages | | | | browser will be welcomed by consistency in design |
| are also displayed progressively as they are | | | | and appearance thanks to the magic of CSS. |