CSS Font Properties

CSS font properties are essential tools for controlling the appearance of text on web pages. They allow designers to customize various aspects of typography, enhancing readability and visual appeal.

Key Font Properties

font-family

The font-family property specifies the typeface for an element. It's crucial for maintaining consistent typography across different devices.

p {
    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
    

font-size

font-size determines the size of the text. It can be set using various units, including pixels, ems, or percentages.

h1 {
    font-size: 2em;
}
    

font-weight

Control the thickness of characters with font-weight. Values range from 100 (thin) to 900 (black), with 400 being normal and 700 being bold.

font-style

Use font-style to apply italic or oblique styles to text.

Advanced Font Properties

line-height

While not strictly a font property, line-height is crucial for text readability. It sets the distance between lines of text.

font-variant

The font-variant property can be used to display text in small caps.

Shorthand Font Property

Combine multiple font properties using the shorthand font property:

body {
    font: italic bold 16px/1.5 Arial, sans-serif;
}
    

Best Practices

• Always provide fallback fonts in the font-family property.
• Use relative units like em or rem for better responsiveness.
• Consider using Web Fonts for more diverse typography options.
• Ensure proper contrast between text and background colors for accessibility.

Related Concepts

To further enhance your text styling skills, explore these related topics:

• CSS Text Formatting
• CSS Text Alignment
• CSS Text Decoration

By mastering CSS font properties, you'll have greater control over the visual hierarchy and readability of your web content, contributing to a more polished and professional design.