(Shelly Cashman Series) Gary B. Shelly, H. Albert Napier, Ollie N. Rivers-Web design_ introductory concepts and techniques -Cengage Learning (2008)

Appendix C: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) APP 23
APPENDIX
C
Cascading Style
Sheets (CSS)
Introduction
Appendix C discusses Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), which is a multifeatured specification for HTML 4.01 and
XHTML. CSS also meets the current Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) standard for Web page element formatting
and page layout. Before reviewing this appendix, you should study the information on CSS and text
formatting, typography, and page layout in Chapters 4 and 5 in this text as a starting point. As you review
this appendix, be sure to check out the @Source references to the Online Companion links for additional
information about using CSS. Finally, keep in mind that the information presented in this appendix is a brief
overview. An in depth review of using CSS to layout and format Web page elements is beyond the scope of
this appendix.
CSS Benefits
The specific benefits of using CSS include:
• Significant control over typography and page layout: CSS allows for the specification of font formatting,
leading (line spacing), tracking (space between words), and kerning (space between letters). Additionally
margins, indents, and element positioning can be easily controlled through CSS.
• Ability to make global changes to a Web site: With CSS, you can control the appearance of hundreds of
Web pages using a single style sheet. Therefore, changes can be expediently made to all the pages in a
site simply by editing the style sheet.
• Separation of structure and presentation: The original purpose of HTML was to define the structure of a
Web document rather than the presentation of content. Using CSS to determine the presentation of the
content allows for a document’s appearance to be changed without impacting the document’s structure.
In the past, lack of support for CSS by older browser versions deterred many Web designers from wholeheartedly
adopting and using CSS. Although modern browsers offer greater levels of support for CSS, as of this writing,
none offer total support for all CSS standards. Despite this limitation, most professional Web designers use at
least some elements of CSS when developing Web pages to promote accessibility and usability, and to comply
with industry standards.
@SOURCE
CSS Benefits
For more information
about the benefits of
using CSS, visit the Web
Design Appendix C
Online Companion page
(scsite.com/web3e/appc/)
and then click CSS
Benefits: Accessibility or
CSS Benefits: SEO in the
@Source links.