Web 2.0 layouts and presentation using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
- Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are an integral part in the implementation of standards compliant and vendor-neutral content for web browsers. Although a vast number of existing web pages are built using in-line HTML font-tags and table-based layout that is structured for traditional display, in the long-term it is necessary to build web-sites and layout XHTML content using a standards compliant and well thought-out process. Cascading Style Sheets CSS1, CSS2, and CSS3 offer a powerful and ideal set of tools that enable virtually infinite flexibility in styling layout and other presentational aspects of web content while keeping content and styling separate (XHTML and CSS).
-
- Unlike the pixel-perfect, but rigid table-based layout of the the 1990s and early 2000, CSS is not only flexible, but it allows for the creation of custom presentation rules for different content readers (traditional computer monitor, hand-held device, aural browser, print etc). This feature makes it possible to change the layout and formatting of content to suit the specific needs of the browser agent and cater for the particular limitations of the medium. An important application of this is in making web content accessible to low-vision users who depend on enlarged text or page readers to benefit from the Internet.
-
- XHTML combined with CSS make it possible to create presentations and layout that exceeds the use of tables and spacer images while greatly reducing the amount of time that it takes to make changes across a large number of pages that are base don the same stylesheet.
-
- Following this document is a series of articles that address the various aspects, challenges and processes that are important in the implementation of Cascading Stylesheets.
