CSS Basics

HTML gives a page its structure. CSS is what people actually see: color, typography, spacing, and the visual style of every element. This course starts with your very first CSS rule that changes a single color and builds up to styling a complete page from an empty stylesheet. It focuses on styling; arranging layouts with rows, columns, and grids is covered in the next course, CSS Layout.

Each concept follows the same pattern: a short lesson alongside a live editor, followed by a practice that checks itself as the preview updates. Clear goals tell you exactly what needs to pass. You learn the box model by watching padding push content outward, color by creating it in multiple ways, and the cascade by seeing one rule override another.

You begin with everything in one file, then learn the three ways CSS can be applied. From there, you move to real-world structure: a separate stylesheet linked to your page. Every exercise then uses two files, index.html and styles.css, just like real projects.

Along the way, you build four practical pieces: a profile card, a designed “special of the day” card, a styled article, and a final café landing page, all using CSS you write yourself. Complete everything to earn a verifiable certificate. No installs or setup required: write CSS in the browser code editor, press Check, and watch in real time.