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Why use CSS?

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a crucial aspect of web development, providing numerous advantages in creating and maintaining visually appealing websites. In this tutorial, we will explore the benefits of using CSS, along with sample code and simple explanations to help you understand why CSS is essential for any web project.

Improved website appearance​

CSS allows you to apply a variety of styles to your webpages, such as colors, fonts, and layouts. By using CSS, you can create attractive and visually engaging websites that leave a lasting impression on your users.

Example:

CSS
/* Set the background color and font family for the entire page */
body {
  background-color: lightgray;
  font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}

/* Style headings */
h1 {
  color: darkblue;
  text-align: center;
}

Easier maintenance and updates​

By separating the presentation from the content, CSS makes web development more efficient and easier to maintain. You can update styles globally by editing a single CSS file, rather than making changes to each HTML file individually.

Example:

HTML
<!-- HTML file -->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css" />
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Welcome to our website!</h1>
    <p>Discover our amazing products and services.</p>
  </body>
</html>
styles.css
h1 {
  color: darkblue;
  font-size: 28px;
}

p {
  font-size: 16px;
  color: darkgray;
}

Faster loading times​

Using CSS can help reduce the size of your HTML files, as you can store styles in a separate file and apply them to multiple pages. Smaller file sizes lead to faster loading times, improving user experience and search engine rankings.

Consistency across multiple pages​

CSS enables you to apply consistent styling across your entire website. By using a single CSS file, you can ensure that elements such as headings, paragraphs, and links have the same appearance on every page.

Example:

CSS
/* Apply a consistent font style to headings and paragraphs */
h1,
h2,
h3,
h4,
h5,
h6,
p {
  font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif;
}

Better accessibility for users​

CSS plays a vital role in creating accessible websites for users with disabilities or those using assistive technologies. By using CSS to control the presentation of your content, you can make your website more accessible to a wider audience.

Example:

CSS
/* Increase font size and line height for better readability */
body {
  font-size: 18px;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

Conclusion​

In this tutorial, you learned why CSS is an essential tool for web development and the numerous benefits it provides for creating and maintaining visually appealing websites. With this knowledge, you can now appreciate the importance of CSS in your web projects and leverage its advantages to build better websites.