CSS3

• CSS is a language that describes the style of an HTML document.

• CSS describes how HTML elements should be displayed.
• This tutorial will teach you CSS from basic to advance.

What is CSS?
• CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets
• CSS describes how HTML elements are to be displayed on screen, paper, or in other media
• CSS saves a lot of work. It can control the layout of multiple web pages all at once
• External stylesheets are stored in CSS files

Why Use CSS?

• CSS is used to define styles for your web pages, including the design, layout and variations in
display for different devices and screen sizes.

CSS Solved a Big Problem

• HTML was NEVER intended to contain tags for formatting a web page!
• HTML was created to describe the content of a web page, like:

<h1>This is a heading</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>

When tags like <font>, and color attributes were added to the HTML 3.2 specification, it started a
nightmare for web developers. Development of large websites, where fonts and color information were
added to every single page, became a long and expensive process.

To solve this problem, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) created CSS. CSS removed the style
formatting from the HTML page!

CSS Saves a Lot of Work!

The style definitions are normally saved in external .css files.

With an external stylesheet file, you can change the look of an entire website by changing just one file!

CSS Syntax
A CSS rule-set consists of a selector and a declaration block:

Selector {property:value;}

For eg: h1 {color:blue; font-size:12px;}

The selector points to the HTML element you want to style.

The declaration block contains one or more declarations separated by semicolons.

Each declaration includes a CSS property name and a value, separated by a colon.

A CSS declaration always ends with a semicolon, and declaration blocks are surrounded by curly braces.

In the following example all <p> elements will be center-aligned, with a red text color:

p {
color: red;
text-align: center;
}

CSS Selectors
CSS selectors are used to "find" (or select) HTML elements based on their element name, id, class, attribute, and
more.

The element Selector

The element selector selects elements based on the element name.

You can select all <p> elements on a page like this (in this case, all <p> elements will be center-aligned, with a
red text color):

p {
text-align: center;
color: red;
}

The id Selector
The id selector uses the id attribute of an HTML element to select a specific element.

The id of an element should be unique within a page, so the id selector is used to select one unique element!

To select an element with a specific id, write a hash (#) character, followed by the id of the element.

The style rule below will be applied to the HTML element with id="para1":

#para1 {
text-align: center;
color: red;
}

Note: An id name cannot start with a number!

The class Selector
The class selector selects elements with a specific class attribute.

To select elements with a specific class, write a period (.) character, followed by the name of the class.

In the example below, all HTML elements with class="center" will be red and center-aligned:

.center {
text-align: center;
color: red;
}

You can also specify that only specific HTML elements should be affected by a class.

In the example below, only <p> elements with class="center" will be center-aligned:

p.center {
text-align: center;
color: red;
}

HTML elements can also refer to more than one class.

In the example below, the <p> element will be styled according to class="center" and to class="large":

<p class="center large">This paragraph refers to two classes.</p>

Grouping Selectors
If you have elements with the same style definitions, like this:

It will be better to group the selectors, to minimize the code.

To group selectors, separate each selector with a comma.

In the example below we have grouped the selectors from the code above:

h1, h2, p {
text-align: center;
color: red;
}

CSS Comments
Comments are used to explain the code, and may help when you edit the source code at a later date.

Comments are ignored by browsers.

A CSS comment starts with /* and ends with */. Comments can also span multiple lines:

p {
color: red;
/* This is a single-line comment */
text-align: center;
}

/* This is
a multi-line
comment */

Three Ways to Insert CSS

There are three ways of inserting a style sheet:

• External style sheet

• Internal style sheet
• Inline style

External Style Sheet

With an external style sheet, you can change the look of an entire website by changing just one file!

Each page must include a reference to the external style sheet file inside the <link> element. The <link> element
goes inside the <head> section:

<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="mystyle.css">
</head>

An external style sheet can be written in any text editor. The file should not contain any html tags. The style sheet
file must be saved with a .css extension.

Here is how the "myStyle.css" looks:

Internal Style Sheet

An internal style sheet may be used if one single page has a unique style.

Internal styles are defined within the <style> element, inside the <head> section of an HTML page:

<head>
<style>
body {
background-color: linen;
}

h1 {
color: maroon;
 margin-left: 40px;
}
</style>
</head>

Inline Styles
An inline style may be used to apply a unique style for a single element.

To use inline styles, add the style attribute to the relevant element. The style attribute can contain any CSS
property.

The example below shows how to change the color and the left margin of a <h1> element:

<h1 style="color:blue;margin-left:30px;">This is a heading.</h1>

Multiple Style Sheets

If some properties have been defined for the same selector (element) in different style sheets, the value from the
last read style sheet will be used.

Example

Assume that an external style sheet has the following style for the <h1> element:

h1 {
color: navy;
}

then, assume that an internal style sheet also has the following style for the <h1> element:

h1 {
color: orange;
}

If the internal style is defined after the link to the external style sheet, the <h1> elements will be "orange":

<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="mystyle.css">
<style>
h1 {
color: orange;
}
</style>
</head>

Cascading Order
What style will be used when there is more than one style specified for an HTML element?
Generally speaking we can say that all the styles will "cascade" into a new "virtual" style sheet by the following
rules, where number one has the highest priority:

1. Inline style (inside an HTML element)

2. External and internal style sheets (in the head section)
3. Browser default

So, an inline style (inside a specific HTML element) has the highest priority, which means that it will override a
style defined inside the <head> tag, or in an external style sheet, or a browser default value.

CSS Colors
Colors in CSS are most often specified by:

• a valid color name - like "red"

• an RGB value - like "rgb(255, 0, 0)"
• a HEX value - like "#ff0000"

CSS Backgrounds
The CSS background properties are used to define the background effects for elements.

CSS background properties:

• background-color
• background-image
• background-repeat
• background-attachment
• background-position

Background Color
The background-color property specifies the background color of an element.

The background color of a page is set like this:

body {
background-color: lightblue;
}

Background Image
The background-image property specifies an image to use as the background of an element.

By default, the image is repeated so it covers the entire element.

The background image for a page can be set like this:

body {
background-image: url("paper.gif");
}

Background Image - Repeat Horizontally or Vertically

By default, the background-image property repeats an image both horizontally and vertically.

Some images should be repeated only horizontally or vertically, or they will look strange, like this:

If the image above is repeated only horizontally (background-repeat: repeat-x;), the background will look
better:

Tip: To repeat an image vertically, set background-repeat: repeat-y;

body {
background-image: url("gradient_bg.png");
background-repeat: repeat-x;
}

Background Image - Set position and no-repeat

Showing the background image only once is also specified by the background-repeat property:

body {
background-image: url("img_tree.png");
background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

In the example above, the background image is shown in the same place as the text. We want to change the
position of the image, so that it does not disturb the text too much.

The position of the image is specified by the background-position property:

body {
background-image: url("img_tree.png");
background-repeat: no-repeat;
background-position: right top;
}

Background Image - Fixed position

To specify that the background image should be fixed (will not scroll with the rest of the page), use
the background-attachment property:

body {
background-image: url("img_tree.png");
background-repeat: no-repeat;
 background-position: right top;
background-attachment: fixed;
}

Background - Shorthand property

To shorten the code, it is also possible to specify all the background properties in one single property. This is called
a shorthand property.

The shorthand property for background is background:

Example
body {
background: #ffffff url("img_tree.png") no-repeat right top;
}

CSS Borders
Border Style
The border-style property specifies what kind of border to display.

The following values are allowed:

• dotted - Defines a dotted border

• dashed - Defines a dashed border
• solid - Defines a solid border
• double - Defines a double border
• groove - Defines a 3D grooved border. The effect depends on the border-color value
• ridge - Defines a 3D ridged border. The effect depends on the border-color value
• inset - Defines a 3D inset border. The effect depends on the border-color value
• outset - Defines a 3D outset border. The effect depends on the border-color value
• none - Defines no border
• hidden - Defines a hidden border

The border-style property can have from one to four values (for the top border, right border, bottom border, and
the left border).

Example
p.dotted {border-style: dotted;}
p.dashed {border-style: dashed;}
p.solid {border-style: solid;}
p.double {border-style: double;}
p.groove {border-style: groove;}
p.ridge {border-style: ridge;}
p.inset {border-style: inset;}
p.outset {border-style: outset;}
p.none {border-style: none;}
p.hidden {border-style: hidden;}
p.mix {border-style: dotted dashed solid double;}

Note: None of the OTHER CSS border properties described below will have ANY effect unless the border-
style property is set!

Border Width
The border-width property specifies the width of the four borders.

The width can be set as a specific size (in px, pt, cm, em, etc) or by using one of the three pre-defined values:
thin, medium, or thick.

The border-width property can have from one to four values (for the top border, right border, bottom border, and
the left border).
p.one {
border-style: solid;
border-width: 5px;
}

p.two {
border-style: solid;
border-width: medium;
}

p.three {
border-style: solid;
border-width: 2px 10px 4px 20px;
}

Border Color
The border-color property is used to set the color of the four borders.

The color can be set by:

• name - specify a color name, like "red"

• Hex - specify a hex value, like "#ff0000"
• RGB - specify a RGB value, like "rgb(255,0,0)"
• transparent

The border-color property can have from one to four values (for the top border, right border, bottom border, and
the left border).

If border-color is not set, it inherits the color of the element.

Example
p.one {
border-style: solid;
border-color: red;
}

p.two {
border-style: solid;
border-color: green;
}

p.three {
border-style: solid;
border-color: red green blue yellow;
}

Border - Individual Sides

From the examples above you have seen that it is possible to specify a different border for each side.
In CSS, there is also properties for specifying each of the borders (top, right, bottom, and left):

Different Border Styles

Example
p {
border-top-style: dotted;
border-right-style: solid;
border-bottom-style: dotted;
border-left-style: solid;
}

he example above gives the same result as this:

Example
p {
border-style: dotted solid;
}

So, here is how it works:

If the border-style property has four values:

• border-style: dotted solid double dashed;

o top border is dotted
o right border is solid
o bottom border is double
o left border is dashed

If the border-style property has three values:

• border-style: dotted solid double;

o top border is dotted
o right and left borders are solid
o bottom border is double

If the border-style property has two values:

• border-style: dotted solid;

o top and bottom borders are dotted
o right and left borders are solid

If the border-style property has one value:

• border-style: dotted;
o all four borders are dotted

The border-style property is used in the example above. However, it also works with border-
width and border-color.
Border - Shorthand Property
As you can see from the examples above, there are many properties to consider when dealing with borders.

To shorten the code, it is also possible to specify all the individual border properties in one property.

The border property is a shorthand property for the following individual border properties:

• border-width
• border-style (required)
• border-color

Example
p {
border: 5px solid red;
}

You can also specify all the individual border properties for just one side:

Left Border
p {
border-left: 6px solid red;
background-color: lightgrey;
}

Bottom Border
p {
border-bottom: 6px solid red;
background-color: lightgrey;
}

Rounded Borders
The border-radius property is used to add rounded borders to an element:

p {
border: 2px solid red;
border-radius: 5px;
}

Property Description

border Sets all the border properties in one declaration

border-bottom Sets all the bottom border properties in one declaration

border-bottom-color Sets the color of the bottom border

border-bottom-style Sets the style of the bottom border

border-bottom-width Sets the width of the bottom border

border-color Sets the color of the four borders

border-left Sets all the left border properties in one declaration

border-left-color Sets the color of the left border

border-left-style Sets the style of the left border

border-left-width Sets the width of the left border

border-radius Sets all the four border-*-radius properties for rounded corners

border-right Sets all the right border properties in one declaration

border-right-color Sets the color of the right border

border-right-style Sets the style of the right border

border-right-width Sets the width of the right border

border-style Sets the style of the four borders

border-top Sets all the top border properties in one declaration

border-top-color Sets the color of the top border

border-top-style Sets the style of the top border

border-top-width Sets the width of the top border

border-width Sets the width of the four borders

CSS Margins
The CSS margin properties are used to generate space around elements.

The margin properties set the size of the white space outside the border.

With CSS, you have full control over the margins. There are CSS properties for setting the margin for each side of
an element (top, right, bottom, and left).

Margin - Individual Sides

CSS has properties for specifying the margin for each side of an element:

• margin-top
• margin-right
• margin-bottom
• margin-left

All the margin properties can have the following values:

• auto - the browser calculates the margin

• length - specifies a margin in px, pt, cm, etc.
• % - specifies a margin in % of the width of the containing element
• inherit - specifies that the margin should be inherited from the parent element

Tip: Negative values are allowed.

The following example sets different margins for all four sides of a <p> element:

Example
p {
margin-top: 100px;
margin-bottom: 100px;
margin-right: 150px;
 margin-left: 80px;
}

Margin - Shorthand Property

To shorten the code, it is possible to specify all the margin properties in one property.

The margin property is a shorthand property for the following individual margin properties:

• margin-top
• margin-right
• margin-bottom
• margin-left

Example
p {
margin: 100px 150px 100px 80px;
}

So, here is how it works:

If the margin property has four values:

• margin: 25px 50px 75px 100px;

o top margin is 25px
o right margin is 50px
o bottom margin is 75px
o left margin is 100px

If the margin property has three values:

• margin: 25px 50px 75px;

o top margin is 25px
o right and left margins are 50px
o bottom margin is 75px

If the margin property has two values:

• margin: 25px 50px;

o top and bottom margins are 25px
o right and left margins are 50px

If the margin property has one value:

• margin: 25px;
o all four margins are 25px
The auto Value
You can set the margin property to auto to horizontally center the element within its container.

The element will then take up the specified width, and the remaining space will be split equally between the left
and right margins:

Example
div {
width: 300px;
margin: auto;
border: 1px solid red;
}

The inherit Value

This example lets the left margin be inherited from the parent element:

Example
div.container {
border: 1px solid red;
margin-left: 100px;
}

p.one {
margin-left: inherit;
}

Margin Collapse
Top and bottom margins of elements are sometimes collapsed into a single margin that is equal to the largest of
the two margins.

This does not happen on horizontal margins (left and right)! Only vertical margins (top and bottom)!

Look at the following example:

Example
h1 {
margin: 0 0 50px 0;
}

h2 {
margin: 20px 0 0 0;
}

In the example above, the <h1> element has a bottom margin of 50px. The <h2> element has a top margin set to
20px.
Common sense would seem to suggest that the vertical margin between the <h1> and the <h2> would be a total
of 70px (50px + 20px). But due to margin collapse, the actual margin ends up being 50px.

CSS Padding
The CSS padding properties are used to generate space around content.

The padding clears an area around the content (inside the border) of an element.

With CSS, you have full control over the padding. There are CSS properties for setting the padding for each side of
an element (top, right, bottom, and left).

Padding - Individual Sides

CSS has properties for specifying the padding for each side of an element:

• padding-top
• padding-right
• padding-bottom
• padding-left

All the padding properties can have the following values:

• length - specifies a padding in px, pt, cm, etc.

• % - specifies a padding in % of the width of the containing element
• inherit - specifies that the padding should be inherited from the parent element

The following example sets different padding for all four sides of a <p> element:

Example
p {
padding-top: 50px;
padding-right: 30px;
padding-bottom: 50px;
padding-left: 80px;
}

Padding - Shorthand Property

To shorten the code, it is possible to specify all the padding properties in one property.

The padding property is a shorthand property for the following individual padding properties:

• padding-top
• padding-right
• padding-bottom
 • padding-left

Example
p {
padding: 50px 30px 50px 80px;
}

So, here is how it works:

If the padding property has four values:

• padding: 25px 50px 75px 100px;

o top padding is 25px
o right padding is 50px
o bottom padding is 75px
o left padding is 100px

If the padding property has three values:

• padding: 25px 50px 75px;

o top padding is 25px
o right and left paddings are 50px
o bottom padding is 75px

If the padding property has two values:

• padding: 25px 50px;

o top and bottom paddings are 25px
o right and left paddings are 50px

If the padding property has one value:

• padding: 25px;
o all four paddings are 25px

Example
div.ex1 {
padding: 25px 50px 75px 100px;
}

div.ex2 {
padding: 25px 50px 75px;
}

div.ex3 {
padding: 25px 50px;
}

div.ex4 {
padding: 25px;
}