When was CSS1 introduced for public use?

CSS1 was introduced for public use in 1996. This was a significant milestone in web development, as it provided a standardized way to separate content from presentation, allowing developers to design websites with greater flexibility and consistency. Prior to the introduction of CSS, web pages were designed using HTML alone, which combined both content structure and visual styling, making it difficult to implement design changes without affecting the content.

By establishing CSS1, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) aimed to simplify the process of web design and improve accessibility. The specification included features such as simple selectors, the ability to specify fonts, colors, and spacing, and provided developers with tools to create visually appealing layouts while maintaining a clean markup structure. This innovation contributed significantly to the evolution of web design and the development of future CSS standards.