What is the function of CSS in web development?

Cascading Style Sheets, commonly known as CSS, plays a crucial role in web development by defining the visual presentation of web pages. It allows developers to separate content from design, which means the HTML structure of the page can focus on the content itself while CSS manages how that content appears. This includes aspects such as layout, colors, fonts, and overall aesthetics.

CSS operates on the principle of cascading rules, meaning that styles can be layered, and the browser determines which styles to apply based on specificity and order of the styles defined. This flexibility allows for consistent styling across multiple pages and the ability to make global changes efficiently.

Other suggestions, like Complex Style Sheets, Creative Style System, and Cascading Security Styles, do not accurately reflect the true nature or purpose of CSS in web development. They do not convey the foundational aspects of how styles are organized or applied, which is essential for front-end web design. CSS is an established standard that is pivotal for creating visually appealing and user-friendly websites.