Inline CSS refers to styles applied directly to HTML elements using the style attribute. In email development, inline CSS is widely used because many email clients strip or ignore external and embedded styles.
Why Inline CSS Is Used in Email
Email clients vary significantly in their CSS support. Applying styles inline increases consistency across inboxes, especially when combined with a table based layout and carefully written email CSS.
Tradeoffs and Limitations
While inline CSS improves compatibility, it can make code harder to read and maintain. This is why many workflows rely on tools that compile or transform styles after validation through HTML validation and checks for spam safe HTML.
When Inline CSS Is Required
Inline styles are especially important for layout, spacing, and typography in Outlook and other strict clients. Teams often combine inline CSS with preprocessing tools to balance maintainability and reliability.
Inline CSS and Topol
Topol handles inline CSS automatically so teams can focus on design instead of client quirks. Learn more at Topol or sign up at Topol signup.