how CSS is referenced within the page.

[pas2gether]

I have seen some CSS implemented on a page in the following way.
<style type="text/css">
@import url(/css/style.css);
</style>

I thought the way to implement CSS was using the following text
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/style.css" />

Why would you use the first method ( @import url(/css/style.css);
)?
are there adavatages to ussing this method?
does it help in SEO?


Also in some cases I have seen both methods used, one for the scree css and the other for the print css. I am a little confused.

[MikeHopley]

Originally Posted by parms

Why would you use the first method ( @import url(/css/style.css);
)?
are there adavatages to ussing this method?
does it help in SEO?

@import is normally used to hide CSS from very old browsers. This is pointless nowadays.

It's supposed to be used to "import" styles from other stylesheets, allowing you to combine multiple stylesheets. Check out what the W3C say. <link>ed styles will take precedence over @import.

Basically, you should ignore @import and use <link> instead. There are no advantages of @import, except for websites that need complicated style cascading rules.

[pas2gether]

"Basically, you should ignore @import and use <link> instead. There are no advantages of @import, except for websites that need complicated style cascading rules."

What would be regaded as
complicated style cascading rules?

[MikeHopley]

Originally Posted by parms

"Basically, you should ignore @import and use <link> instead. There are no advantages of @import, except for websites that need complicated style cascading rules."

What would be regaded as
complicated style cascading rules?

A global corporate web-portal that uses a combination of company-wide styles (the <link>ed styles) and local variations (the @import). In theory, this could allow a company to maintain control over "house style", while permitting local web masters some degree of freedom in their own stylesheets.

Basically, nothing you're ever likely to do.