# External stylesheet

A separate .css file that pages load with a <link> tag.

## What is an **external stylesheet**?

An **external stylesheet** is a separate `.css` file that pages load with a `<link>` tag. It is the usual way to style a whole site.

```html
<!-- in the page's <head> -->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
```

Level: Novice · [More CSS terms at this level](https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/subjects/css/novice)

Updated: September 27, 2026

Source: https://www.ask-codey.com/glossary/external-stylesheet