CSS2

CSS2, Cascading Style Sheets Level 2, is a W3C recommendation that extended the original CSS1 specification. Published in 1998, CSS2 added a broader set of layout and presentation features intended to control the visual formatting of HTML documents. It introduced positioning schemes such as absolute, relative, and fixed positioning, as well as the concept of stacking with z-index, and layout controls including floats, clear, overflow, margins, borders, padding, and width/height. The specification defined the CSS box model as the basis for how these properties affect element size and spacing.

CSS2 also expanded typography and color handling, including font properties, text alignment, line height, white space, decorative features, and support for background colors and images. It provided support for tables and lists, as well as the ability to generate content via pseudo-elements, using the content property with :before and :after. In addition, CSS2 introduced media types to tailor styles for different output environments, such as screen and print, and support for paged media requirements, enabling print-oriented styles.

CSS2 is largely superseded by CSS2.1, a later revision that clarified and corrected the original specification and consolidated behavior across browsers. Since then, CSS has evolved into a modular, evolving standard known as CSS3 and beyond, with CSS2.1 remaining a historical baseline and a reference point for compatibility in many browser implementations.