11 What is CSS?

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. In broad terms, HTML controls text elements on a page while CSS controls stylistic elements. CSS takes HTML elements and adds pizzazz in the form of color, page layout, and fonts.

CSS can be used to:

• Change text size, font, color, and alignment
• Change image size and alignment
• Add style to tables, such as shading and borders
• Create multiple styles on a page by using the override feature.

While understanding some CSS can be helpful for digital writers, most advanced CSS functions will be done by a web designer. We’ll discuss the CSS features that pertain specifically to fonts, both in color and style, which can help digital writers make web pages stand out.