Normalize.css - The best CSS reset library

Normalize.css (50.6k ⭐) has been the most popular CSS reset library for years. It saves you a lot of time matching a duplicate experience for each web browser.

The story of CSS resets has been always controversial – to which one you should use to whether or not they should be used at all. The whole idea of a CSS reset library is to deal with styling inconsistencies across browsers.

Unlike the Meyer reset, normalize.css doesn’t remove any styling from elements that were already consistent across browsers.

Normalize.css is a modern, HTML5-ready alternative to CSS resets.

Instead it preserves useful defaults, normalizes styles for a wide range of elements, correct bugs and common browser inconsistencies, and improves usability with subtle modifications.

There are then 2 main ways to make use of normalize.css:

• Use it as a starting point, then customize what you need.
• Include it untouched, then override in your CSS if necessary.

npm install --save normalize.css

Under the Hood

The single source file is heavily documented inline so that you can find out what each line of code is doing, why it was included, what the differences are between browsers, and more easily run your own tests.

1. Correct the line height in all browsers. Prevent adjustments of font size after orientation changes in iOS.

html {
  line-height: 1.15; /* 1 */
  -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; /* 2 */
}

2. Remove the margin in all browsers.

body {
  margin: 0;
}

3. Render the main element consistently in IE.

main {
  display: block;
}

4. Correct the font size and margin on h1 elements within section and article contexts in Chrome, Firefox, and Safari.

h1 {
  font-size: 2em;
  margin: 0.67em 0;
}

5. Add the correct box sizing in Firefox, and show the overflow in Edge and IE.

hr {
  box-sizing: content-box; /* 1 */
  height: 0; /* 1 */
  overflow: visible; /* 2 */
}

6. Correct the inheritance and scaling of font size in all browsers, and correct the odd em font sizing in all browsers.

pre {
  font-family: monospace, monospace; /* 1 */
  font-size: 1em; /* 2 */
}

7. Remove the gray background on active links in IE 10.

a {
  background-color: transparent;
}

8. Remove the bottom border in Chrome 57-, and add the correct text decoration in Chrome, Edge, IE, Opera, and Safari.

abbr[title] {
  border-bottom: none; /* 1 */
  text-decoration: underline; /* 2 */
  text-decoration: underline dotted; /* 2 */
}

9. Add the correct font weight in Chrome, Edge, and Safari.

b,
strong {
  font-weight: bolder;
}

10. Correct the inheritance and scaling of font size in all browsers, and correct the odd em font sizing in all browsers.

code,
kbd,
samp {
  font-family: monospace, monospace; /* 1 */
  font-size: 1em; /* 2 */
}

11. Add the correct font size in all browsers.

small {
  font-size: 80%;
}

12. Prevent sub and sup elements from affecting the line height in all browsers.

sub,
sup {
  font-size: 75%;
  line-height: 0;
  position: relative;
  vertical-align: baseline;
}

sub {
  bottom: -0.25em;
}

sup {
  top: -0.5em;
}

13. Remove the border on images inside links in IE 10.

img {
  border-style: none;
}

14. Change the font styles in all browsers, and remove the margin in Firefox and Safari.

button,
input,
optgroup,
select,
textarea {
  font-family: inherit; /* 1 */
  font-size: 100%; /* 1 */
  line-height: 1.15; /* 1 */
  margin: 0; /* 2 */
}

15. Show the overflow in Edge.

button,
input {
  /* 1 */
  overflow: visible;
}

16. Remove the inheritance of text transform in Firefox.

button,
select {
  /* 1 */
  text-transform: none;
}

17. Correct the inability to style clickable types in iOS and Safari.

button,
[type='button'],
[type='reset'],
[type='submit'] {
  -webkit-appearance: button;
}

18. Remove the inner border and padding in Firefox.

button::-moz-focus-inner,
[type='button']::-moz-focus-inner,
[type='reset']::-moz-focus-inner,
[type='submit']::-moz-focus-inner {
  border-style: none;
  padding: 0;
}

19. Restore the focus styles unset by the previous rule.

button:-moz-focusring,
[type='button']:-moz-focusring,
[type='reset']:-moz-focusring,
[type='submit']:-moz-focusring {
  outline: 1px dotted ButtonText;
}

20. Correct the padding in Firefox.

fieldset {
  padding: 0.35em 0.75em 0.625em;
}

21. Correct the text wrapping in Edge and IE. Correct the color inheritance from fieldset elements in IE. Remove the padding so developers are not caught out when they zero out fieldset elements in all browsers.

legend {
  box-sizing: border-box; /* 1 */
  color: inherit; /* 2 */
  display: table; /* 1 */
  max-width: 100%; /* 1 */
  padding: 0; /* 3 */
  white-space: normal; /* 1 */
}

22. Add the correct vertical alignment in Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.

progress {
  vertical-align: baseline;
}

23. Remove the default vertical scrollbar in IE 10+.

textarea {
  overflow: auto;
}

24. Add the correct box sizing in IE 10. Remove the padding in IE 10.

[type='checkbox'],
[type='radio'] {
  box-sizing: border-box; /* 1 */
  padding: 0; /* 2 */
}

25. Correct the cursor style of increment and decrement buttons in Chrome.

[type='number']::-webkit-inner-spin-button,
[type='number']::-webkit-outer-spin-button {
  height: auto;
}

26. Correct the odd appearance in Chrome and Safari. Correct the outline style in Safari.

[type='search'] {
  -webkit-appearance: textfield; /* 1 */
  outline-offset: -2px; /* 2 */
}

27. Remove the inner padding in Chrome and Safari on macOS.

[type='search']::-webkit-search-decoration {
  -webkit-appearance: none;
}

28. Correct the inability to style clickable types in iOS and Safari. Change font properties to inherit in Safari.

::-webkit-file-upload-button {
  -webkit-appearance: button; /* 1 */
  font: inherit; /* 2 */
}

29. Add the correct display in Edge, IE 10+, and Firefox.

details {
  display: block;
}

30. Add the correct display in all browsers.

summary {
  display: list-item;
}

31. Add the correct display in IE 10+.

template {
  display: none;
}

32. Add the correct display in IE 10.

[hidden] {
  display: none;
}