CSS framework

A CSS framework is a pre-prepared software framework that are meant to allow for easier, more standards-compliant web design using the Cascading Style Sheets language.

Description

Most of these frameworks contain at least a grid.

More elaborate frameworks provide JavaScript-based features, but are mostly design oriented and unobtrusive.

A JavaScript framework, by comparison, is more computer programming-oriented.

Bootstrap and Foundation

Two notable and widely used examples are Bootstrap and Foundation.

Features

CSS frameworks offer various features:

• Reset style sheet
• Grid, especially for responsive web design
• Web typography
• Set of icons in sprites or icon fonts
• Styling for tooltips, buttons, elements of forms
• graphical user interfaces objects:
  • Accordion
  • Tabset
  • Slideshow
  • Modal window (Lightbox)
• Equalizer to create equal height content
• CSS helper classes (left, hide)

Bigger frameworks use a CSS interpreter like LESS or SASS.