---
title: Use CSS to solve common problems
slug: Learn/CSS/Howto
translation_of: Learn/CSS/Howto
---
<div>Translation in progress{{LearnSidebar}}</div>

<p class="summary">The following links provide solutions to common problems you can solve with CSS.</p>

<h2 id="Common_use_cases">Common use cases</h2>

<div class="column-container">
<div class="column-half">
<h3 id="Basics">Basics</h3>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/How_CSS_works#How_to_apply_your_CSS_to_your_HTML">How to apply CSS to HTML</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Syntax#White_space">How to use whitespace in CSS</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Syntax#Comments">How to write comments in CSS</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Selectors#Simple_selectors">How to select elements via element name, class or ID</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Selectors#Attribute_selectors">How to select elements via attribute name and content</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Selectors#Pseudo-classes">How to use pseudo-classes</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Selectors#Pseudo-elements">How to use pseudo-elements</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Selectors#Multiple_selectors_on_one_rule">How to apply multiple selectors to the same rule</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Values_and_units#Colors">How to specify colors in CSS</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Debugging_CSS#Inspecting_the_DOM_and_CSS">How to debug CSS in the browser</a></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="CSS_and_text">CSS and text</h3>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Learn/CSS/Styling_text/Fundamentals">How to style text</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Learn/CSS/Styling_text/Styling_lists">How to customize a list of elements</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_text/Styling_links">How to style links</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_text/Fundamentals#Text_drop_shadows">How to add shadows to text</a></li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="column-half">
<h3 id="Boxes_and_layouts">Boxes and layouts</h3>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Box_model#Box_properties">How to size CSS boxes</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Box_model#Overflow">How to control overflowing content</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Box_model#Background_clip">How to control the part of a CSS box that the background is drawn under</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Box_model#Types_of_CSS_boxes">How do I define inline, block, and inline-block?</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Learn/CSS/Howto/create_fancy_boxes">How to create fancy boxes</a> (also see the <a href="/en-US/docs/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes">Styling boxes</a> module, generally).</li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Box_model#Background_clip">How to use <code>background-clip</code> to control how much of the box your background image covers</a>.</li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Box_model_recap#Changing_the_box_model_completely">How to change the box model completely using <code>box-sizing</code></a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Backgrounds">How to control backgrounds</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Borders">How to control borders</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Styling_tables">How to style an HTML table</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Advanced_box_effects#Box_shadows">How to add shadows to boxes</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>

<h2 id="Uncommon_and_advanced_techniques">Uncommon and advanced techniques</h2>

<p>CSS allows very advanced design techniques. These articles help demistify the harder use cases you may face.</p>

<h3 id="General">General</h3>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Cascade_and_inheritance#Specificity">How to calculate specificity of a CSS selector</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Introduction_to_CSS/Cascade_and_inheritance#Controlling_inheritance">How to control inheritance in CSS</a></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="Advanced_effects">Advanced effects</h3>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Advanced_box_effects#Filters">How to use filters in CSS</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/Learn/CSS/Styling_boxes/Advanced_box_effects#Blend_modes">How to use blend modes in CSS</a></li>
</ul>

<h3 id="Layout">Layout</h3>

<ul>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/CSS/Flexible_boxes">Using CSS flexible boxes</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/CSS/Using_multi-column_layouts" title="/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/CSS/Using_multi-column_layouts">Using CSS multi-column layouts</a></li>
 <li><a href="/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/CSS/Getting_started/Content">Using CSS generated content</a></li>
</ul>

<h2 id="See_also">See also</h2>

<p><a href="/en-US/docs/Learn/CSS/Howto/CSS_FAQ">CSS FAQ</a> — A variety of topics: from debugging to selector usage.</p>