Best Ways to Add CSS to HTML
3 Best Ways to Add CSS to HTML
Adding CSS to HTML files can help you tailor your web page's look and feel to your exact specifications. But how do you add CSS to HTML? With the three methods outlined below, you'll be able to take advantage of CSS in no time.
There are three main ways to add CSS to HTML documents, each with its own advantages and disadvantages:
1. Inline CSS
- Adds CSS directly to an HTML element using the style attribute.
- Useful for quickly styling a single element, but not recommended for larger projects.
- Makes code messy and hard to maintain.
HTML
<p style="color: red; font-size: 20px;">This is some inline styled text.</p>2. Internal CSS
- Defines CSS within the <head> section of an HTML document using the <style> element.
- Better than inline styles for small to medium projects.
- Keeps CSS separate from HTML, but styles are still limited to that document.
HTML
<head>
<style>
p {
color: blue;
font-size: 16px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>This is some internal styled text.</p>
</body>3. External CSS
- Defines CSS in a separate .css file and links it to the HTML document using the <link> element in the <head> section.
- Best practice for large and complex websites.
- Keeps CSS separate from HTML, styles can be reused across multiple pages, and easier to maintain.
HTML
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
<p>This is some external styled text.</p>
</body>Choosing the best method:
- For small projects with simple styling, inline CSS might be acceptable.
- For medium-sized projects, internal CSS is a good option.
- For large and complex websites, external CSS is the recommended approach.
Additional tips:
- Use a CSS preprocessor like Sass or Less to make your CSS more maintainable and organized.
- Use a CSS framework like Bootstrap or Foundation to speed up development.
- Validate your CSS code using a CSS validator to ensure it is correct.
By following these tips, you can add CSS to your HTML documents in a way that is both efficient and professional.