Inheritance, Cascade,

Specificity
Understanding the core principles of CSS is essential for effective web design.
Inheritance, Cascade, and Specificity are key concepts that guide the styling
process.
CSS Inheritance
With inheritance, properties are passed from parent elements to their children. This allows for efficient and
consistent styling, reducing code repetition.

1 Global Styling 2 Efficient 3 Controlled

Setting properties on the
body element can apply
styles across an entire
website.
Maintenance Exceptions
Changes made to parent Explicitly overriding
styles automatically update inheritance with inherit
child elements, making it or initial values allows
easier to manage website- for selective
wide updates. customization.
CSS Cascade
The cascade determines how conflicting style rules are applied and resolved. Understanding the cascade is crucial
for controlling style priorities.

1 Specificity

The specificity of a selector determines its weight and priority in the cascade. Inline styles have
the highest specificity, followed by IDs, classes, and elements.

2 Order of Declaration

When multiple conflicting rules have the same specificity, the order in which they are declared
determines which one takes precedence.

3 Importance

Using !important in a rule gives it the highest priority, overriding other conflicting styles.
CSS Specificity
Specificity determines which CSS styles are applied to an element when multiple competing rules are present. It's
crucial for precise and targeted styling.

Selectors Multiple Selectors Inline Styles

More specific selectors, such
as those with IDs or the use of
attribute selectors, have higher
specificity compared to
general element selectors.
When selectors have equal Inline styles carry the highest
specificity, the one defined specificity, overriding other
last takes precedence in the styles.
cascade.
Mastering CSS
By fully understanding and leveraging inheritance, cascade, and specificity, you can unlock the full potential of
CSS and create visually stunning websites.

Clean and Maintainable Control and Flexibility Consistent Design

Code Language
Apply specificity to manipulate
Utilize inheritance and cascade for individual elements and achieve Set up a robust style hierarchy to
efficient and organized CSS desired visual effects. ensure a cohesive and branded
codebase. user experience.
Conclusion
Inheritance, Cascade, and Specificity are the building blocks of CSS. Understanding and mastering
these principles enhances your ability to create beautiful and maintainable web designs.

1 Elevate Your Styles

Implement inheritance to efficiently propagate styles.

2 Control the Look

Utilize cascade to manage conflicting styles effectively.

3 Be Specific

Apply specificity to target and stylishly manipulate elements.

Take Your CSS Skills Further
Continuously explore advanced CSS techniques, such as grid systems, flexbox, and CSS preprocessors like Sass, to
further enhance your design capabilities.