HTML Styles (Inline, Internal, External)

HTML styles are used to control the appearance of HTML elements using CSS.
There are three ways to apply styles in HTML: inline, internal, and external.


1. Inline Styles

Inline styles are written directly inside an HTML element using the style attribute.

<p 
  style="color: blue; font-size: 16px; background-color: #f0f0f0;">
  This paragraph uses inline styling.
</p>

Inline Style Details

  • style → holds CSS rules
  • Affects only one element
  • Written as property: value;

2. Internal Styles

Internal styles are written inside the <head> section using the <style> tag.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Internal Styles</title>
  <style>
    p {
      color: green;
      font-size: 18px;
      background-color: #e8f5e9;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>This paragraph uses internal styling.</p>
</body>
</html>

Internal Style Details

  • Styles apply to the current page only
  • Written once and reused within the page
  • Useful for single-page styling

3. External Styles

External styles are written in a separate CSS file and linked to HTML.

HTML File

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <link 
    rel="stylesheet"
    href="styles.css"
    media="all"
    type="text/css">
  <title>External Styles</title>
</head>
<body>
  <p class="text">This paragraph uses external styling.</p>
</body>
</html>

CSS File (styles.css)

.text {
  color: purple;
  font-size: 20px;
  background-color: #f3e5f5;
}

External Style Details

  • Best practice for real projects
  • One CSS file can style multiple pages
  • Keeps HTML clean and organized

Comparison of Style Methods

MethodScopeBest Use
InlineSingle elementQuick changes
InternalSingle pagePage-specific styles
ExternalMultiple pagesReal websites

Important Notes

  • External CSS is recommended
  • Avoid excessive inline styles
  • Use internal styles only when needed
  • CSS controls design, HTML controls structure