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<h1>Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)</h1>

<p>A Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) files contain rules for how to display and

lay out the HTML content when it is rendered by a web browser.</p>

<h2>Why is CSS necessary?</h2>

<p>CSS separates content contained in the HTML file from how the content

should be displayed. That separation between content and how to display it

enables devices to render the content differently based on factors such as

screen size. For example, a mobile device does not have as much space to

display a navigation bar on the side of a page so it is often pushed down

below the main content. The

<a href="http://getbootstrap.com/examples/blog/">Bootstrap Blog example</a>

shows that scenario when you resize the browser width.</p>

<h2>How is CSS retrieved from the web server?</h2>

<p>The HTML file sent by the web server contains a reference to the CSS file(s)

needed to render the content. The web browser requests the CSS file after the

HTML file as shown below in a screenshot captured of the Chrome Web Developer

Tools network traffic.</p>

<p><img src="theme/img/css-chrome-dev-tools.jpg" width="100%" alt="Google Chrome Web Developer Tools shows how CSS is separate from the HTML content." class="technical-diagram" /></p>

<p>That request for the fsp.css file is made because the HTML file for Full

Stack Python contains a reference to <code>theme/css/fsp.css</code> which is shown

in the view source screenshot below.</p>

<p><img src="theme/img/fsp-css-source.jpg" width="100%" alt="View source screenshot for the fsp.css file in index.html." class="technical-diagram" /></p>

<h2>Responsive design</h2>

<p>Responsive design is an approach for creating CSS that lays out content

differently based on screen attributes. The responsiveness is accomplished

by implementing

<a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/CSS/Media_queries">media queries</a>

in the CSS. </p>

<h2>CSS preprocessors</h2>

<ul>

<li>

<p><a href="http://sass-lang.com/">SASS</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://lesscss.org/">LESS</a></p>

</li>

</ul>

<h2>CSS frameworks</h2>

<p>CSS frameworks provide structure and a boilerplate base for building a

web application's design.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<p><a href="http://getbootstrap.com/">Bootstrap</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://foundation.zurb.com/">Foundation</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://gumbyframework.com/">Gumby</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://compass-style.org/">Compass</a>)</p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://www.profoundgrid.com/">Profound Grid</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://www.getskeleton.com/">Skeleton</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://html5boilerplate.com/">HTML5 Boilerplate</a></p>

</li>

</ul>

<h2>Design resources</h2>

<ul>

<li>

<p>The <a href="http://bootstrappingdesign.com/">Bootstrapping Design</a> book is one of

the clearest and concise resources for learning design that I've ever read.

Highly recommended especially if you feel you have no design skills but

need to learn them.</p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="https://kuler.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/">Kuler</a> is a complementary

color picker by Adobe that helps choose colors for your designs.</p>

</li>

</ul>

<h2>CSS resources</h2>

<ul>

<li>

<p><a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS">Mozilla Developer Network's CSS page</a>

contains an extensive set of resources, tutorials and demos for learning

CSS.</p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://alistapart.com/article/css-positioning-101">CSS Positioning 101</a>

is a detailed guide for learning how to do element positioning correctly

with CSS.</p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://media.smashingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/images/css3-cheat-sheet/css3-cheat-sheet.pdf">CSS3 cheat sheet</a></p>

</li>

<li>

<p><a href="http://learnlayout.com/toc.html">Learn CSS layout</a> is a simple guide that

breaks CSS layout topics into chapters so you can learn each part one

at a time.</p>

</li>

</ul>

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