CSS is used to style and lay out web pages. It allows separation of document content from page layout and design. CSS rules contain selectors that specify the elements to style and properties that define the styles. Common properties include font, color, background, borders, margin and padding. CSS rules can be defined internally, in a linked stylesheet, or inline in HTML elements. CSS provides control over text, font, color, spacing and layout to present content attractively and consistently across multiple browsers and devices.