Inline, Internal, or External CSS: Which is Best for Your Web Project?

If you are a web development enthusiast, you must have come across these three terms. Although we frequently use CSS in our projects, we might not fully understand these terms or know which ones to follow. So, let’s take a closer look at these three terms and understand what they are:

Inline CSS

When we apply CSS styles individually to HTML elements using their style property, we are using this type of styling, known as inline styling or inline CSS. You can gain a better idea by looking at the following examples:

Internal CSS

When CSS styles are applied to all HTML elements by adding a style element inside the head element, it is referred to as internal CSS. Take a look at the following example for a better understanding:

External CSS

You may already have an idea about this styling type, as it is one we frequently use in our projects. When we add a link to an external CSS file in the head element, we are actually using external CSS. The CSS file location could be anywhere; for example, it could be within your local directory or hosted on the internet, as we often link CSS files from frameworks like TAILWIND or BOOTSTRAP. Take a look below for a better understanding:

Which one is preferred?

• Project Size: For small projects, inline or internal CSS may be more convenient. For larger projects, external CSS is often preferred for better organization and maintenance.
• Reusability: If you have multiple pages sharing the same styling, external CSS is beneficial for reusing styles across the entire site.
• Collaboration: External CSS is advantageous when working in a team, as it allows different developers to focus on different aspects without conflicts.
• Performance: External CSS can be cached by the browser, potentially improving page load times for subsequent visits.