| CSS or Cascading Style Sheets is a stylesheet | | | | that accrue over time. Apart from keeping track of |
| language used to describe the presentation of | | | | changes to a single style sheet over time, these |
| content in a markup language. It is usually used in | | | | comparison or difference utilities could be used to |
| conjunction with HTML or hypertext markup language | | | | compare similar style sheets. For instance, different |
| to present webpages, but it may also be used with | | | | pages on a website may use similar style sheets with |
| the XML document format. CSS offers the | | | | only slight differences. If, for any reason, it becomes |
| advantage of handling presentation separately from | | | | necessary to track these differences, these utilities |
| the actual content. When coding in CSS, it usually | | | | can do so in a snap. |
| becomes necessary to compare style sheet A with | | | | Then there are more specific utilities that can actually |
| another style sheet B, and there are tools for this | | | | recognize CSS codes. These CSS helpers could |
| purpose. | | | | display syntax in color, and even to some extent, |
| A cascading style sheet consists of various rules that | | | | add an interface for editing the style sheet. That is, |
| govern how the different parts of a markup | | | | instead of manually editing the actual code, these |
| document are presented. It is termed "cascading" due | | | | helpers could allow programmers to make use of |
| to how priorities of several different rules that apply | | | | friendlier dropdown boxes, checklists, and other |
| to a particular element are determined. The rule that | | | | forms. For larger style sheets, these helpers can be a |
| applies to the smallest or most specific subclass or | | | | godsend, as they save a lot of labor. Of course, |
| type of element is the one given the highest priority. | | | | these CSS helpers would also allow the easier |
| In the absence of more specific rules, however, the | | | | comparison of different style sheets. |
| rule for a general class could "cascade" down into all | | | | Depending on the programmer's needs, a general |
| subclasses. | | | | utility or a CSS helper could be good choices. When |
| As a style sheet becomes more and more | | | | having to compare style sheets with others, much |
| complicated, it also becomes more and more difficult | | | | labor can be saved with the use of the right tool. |
| to keep track of changes. This might become | | | | This leaves the programmer free to focus on the |
| necessary when updating the CSS of an existing | | | | design and coding aspect of the job, and not be |
| website, for example. To save a programmer some | | | | bogged down in the tedious details. In particular, CSS |
| tedious labor, various programming utilities could be | | | | or cascading style sheets offer a lot of possibilities to |
| used. | | | | be taken advantage of, both in terms of visual |
| There are general utilities for comparing blocks of | | | | design and organization. Using comparison and helper |
| text or code, which would then highlight the | | | | programs can only make the job easier and more |
| differences for easier spotting. These utilities would | | | | interesting. |
| then make it trivial to keep track of slight changes | | | | |