What is CSS and how is it used in web development?

CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets. It is a style sheet language used for describing the presentation of a document written in HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). CSS is used in web development to control the layout, formatting, and appearance of web pages.

CSS allows web developers to separate the content of a web page from its presentation, making it easier to maintain and update the website. It provides a set of rules or styles that define how HTML elements should be displayed on the screen, printed, or even spoken.

CSS works by selecting HTML elements and applying styles to them. These styles can include properties such as color, font size, margin, padding, background, and many more. By using CSS, web developers can create visually appealing and consistent designs across multiple web pages.

CSS can be used in three different ways: inline, internal, and external. Inline CSS is applied directly to individual HTML elements using the "style" attribute. Internal CSS is defined within the HTML document using the "style" tag in the head section. External CSS is stored in a separate CSS file and linked to the HTML document using the "link" tag.

Web developers can also use CSS frameworks and libraries to speed up the development process. These frameworks provide pre-designed CSS styles and components that can be easily customized and applied to web pages.

In summary, CSS is a crucial tool in web development that allows developers to control the visual presentation of web pages. It helps create consistent and visually appealing designs, separates content from presentation, and enhances the overall user experience.