Why create a CSS-based layout template?
Over time, Web design, Web standards, and best practices have become increasingly important. Prior to the regular use of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), proper HTML structure was often sacrificed in favor of improved visual layout. Basic HTML elements, such as < font > tags and < table > layouts, were frequently overused and structured incorrectly, while elements with specific functions were underused because they lacked visual appeal. A CSS-based layout template provides a way to have the design of the template dependent on the CSS file, rather than the HTML file, and allows the developer to avoid the use of HTML elements that are strictly for visual appearance. The purpose of this article is to inform web developers of the advantages to updating intranet and Internet code to a CSS-based layout, which separates the content from the presentation of the site. CSS allows for easier design updates, significant cost savings to the site owner, and improved accessibility features.
