The CSS Cascade is an essential concept in web development, as it plays a crucial role in determining the styling properties applied to each element on a webpage. It is the process or algorithm that resolves conflicts and converges from a list of CSS rules defined in various locations.
The cascade takes into consideration several factors to determine which rule should be applied, including specificity, importance, inheritance, and order of appearance in the file. It also resolves conflicts that may arise when two or more CSS rules compete for the same property on the same element.
Even if you have only one CSS file loaded on your page, the cascade still takes into account other CSS sources. This includes the default browser (user agent) CSS rules, which vary among different browsers. Additionally, any user stylesheets or browser extensions that modify the default styling are also considered in the cascade process.
Understanding the CSS cascade is crucial for creating consistent and predictable styles on your webpage. It allows you to leverage the power of cascading style sheets to control the design and presentation of your content effectively.