How do CSS inheritance and the cascade order work together?
Asked on Aug 23, 2025
Answer
CSS inheritance and the cascade order are fundamental concepts that determine how styles are applied to elements on a webpage. Inheritance allows certain properties to be passed down from parent to child elements, while the cascade order resolves conflicts when multiple rules apply to the same element.
Example Concept: CSS inheritance means that some properties, like font and color, are automatically passed from parent to child elements unless overridden. The cascade order determines which styles are applied based on specificity, importance (using "!important"), and source order. Specificity is calculated based on the type of selectors used, with inline styles being the most specific, followed by IDs, classes, and element selectors. When conflicts arise, the cascade order ensures the most specific and important styles are applied.
Additional Comment:
- Not all CSS properties are inheritable; for example, layout properties like "margin" and "padding" do not inherit.
- The cascade order follows this hierarchy: importance (using "!important"), specificity, and then source order.
- Specificity is calculated using a point system: inline styles (1000), IDs (100), classes/attributes (10), and elements (1).
- Understanding these concepts helps in debugging CSS and ensuring consistent styling across a webpage.
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