Define clear layers
Separating variables, base styles, layout, components and page-specific rules makes it easier to know where a declaration belongs and reduces duplication.
- Group tokens such as colours and spacing.
- Keep global rules low in specificity.
- Place local exceptions after generic component styles.
Keep specificity under control
A predictable cascade avoids long selectors and repeated !important declarations. Simple classes make components easier to move and reuse.
- Prefer a component class to a long selector chain.
- Avoid targeting deep DOM structures.
- Use !important only for a documented reason.
Remove before adding overrides
When a component changes, updating the old rule is often better than appending another override at the end of the file.
- Search for obsolete rules before adding new ones.
- Test components in their main variants.
- Document naming conventions that matter to the project.
Practical checklist
- Centralised variables.
- Clearly identifiable CSS layers.
- Low, predictable specificity.
- Little or no !important.
- Obsolete rules removed regularly.
Continue with related resources
Conclusion
The best CSS is not the one using the most techniques; it is the one another developer can understand and change without breaking the rest of the interface.