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CSS
Mar 30, 2023

CSS Reset: CSS Best Practices, Part 9

When it comes to web development, CSS plays a vital role in styling a website. However, different browsers have different default styles, which can make it challenging to ensure a consistent look across all platforms. That's where reset CSS comes in.

Alexander Juul Jakobsen
WordPress Developer for over 10 years

Reset CSS is a stylesheet file that resets the default styles of HTML elements to a consistent baseline, making it easier to style a website. The purpose is to eliminate any inconsistencies across different browsers, so that designers can create a uniform look and feel on all platforms.

So why is it common practice to use reset CSS? Let’s dive into the reasons.

Reset CSS: Reasons why it’s common practice

Cross-Browser Compatibility

As mentioned earlier, different browsers have different default styles. This can make it challenging to ensure that a website looks the same across all platforms. Using a reset stylesheet ensures that the baseline styles are consistent across all browsers, allowing designers to build on a level playing field.

Consistency

One of the primary reasons why the stylesheet is so popular is because it helps achieve consistency in design. By resetting the default styles, designers have a clean slate to work with, which means they can create a website with a consistent look and feel, regardless of the browser or device being used.

Reduces CSS Overhead

Another benefit is that it reduces the amount of CSS needed to style a website. With reset CSS, designers only need to worry about styling the elements that they want to customize, rather than overriding default styles on every element. This can save a lot of time and reduce the overall size of the CSS file, which can improve website performance.

Better User Experience

Reset CSS also helps improve the user experience by ensuring that the website looks and functions the same across all platforms. This consistency helps users navigate the website with ease and reduces the chances of them getting confused or frustrated by unexpected changes in design.

Examples of Reset CSS

There are several popular stylesheets that developers can use. Some of the most well-known ones include:

Each of these files has its own approach to resetting default styles, so developers should choose the one that best suits their needs.

Conclusion

Reset CSS is a common practice in web development because it helps achieve consistency across different browsers and devices, reduces CSS overhead, and improves the user experience.

By resetting default styles, designers can build on a level playing field and create a website that looks and functions the same regardless of the platform being used.

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