Minifying or compressing CSS files reduces their size by removing unnecessary characters such as white spaces, comments, and indentation.
If multiple stylesheets are used on one web page, CSS files can become quite large. The larger the file, the longer it takes for the browser to download and parse it. As a result, page load times can be slowed, negatively affecting user experiences and even affecting search engine rankings.
Developers can significantly reduce the size of CSS files without affecting their functionality by using a CSS minifier. By analyzing the code, this tool removes all unnecessary characters, resulting in a smaller file size. By replacing the original CSS file with the minified CSS file, page load times are improved.
Even though CSS minification can speed up page loading times, it is important to use it with caution. Developers should always test their minified code to make sure it still works. In some cases, minification can cause issues with the code that can be difficult to diagnose and fix. Keeping a backup of the original file is always recommended in case of any problems.