@import

Description

The @import at-rule is a mechanism for importing one style sheet into another. It should be followed by a URI value and a semicolon, but it’s possible to use a string value instead of the URI value. Where relative URIs are used, they’re interpreted as being relative to the importing style sheet.

You can also specify one or more media types to which the imported style sheet applies—simply append a comma-separated list of media types to the URI.

Here’s an example of a media type specification:

@import url(/css/screen.css) screen, projection;

The @import rules in a style sheet must precede all rule sets. An @import rule that follows one or more rule sets will be ignored. As such, the example below shows an incorrect usage; because it appears after a rule set, the following @import rule will be ignored:

html {
  background-color: #fff;
  color: #000;
}

/* The following rule will be ignored */
@import url("other.css");

@import url("/css/main.css");
@import "local.css";

Compatibility

Internet Explorer				Firefox					Safari				Opera			Chrome
5.5	6.0	7.0	8.0	1.0	1.5	2.0	3.0	3.5	1.3	2.0	3.1	4.0	9.2	9.5	10.0	2.0
Buggy	Buggy	Buggy	Buggy	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full	Full

The media type specification feature isn’t supported by Internet Explorer versions up to and including 8. In the example below, IE would attempt to request the file ./url(/css/screen.css) screen, projection—that is, a file named screen.css) screen, projection in a subdirectory named css in a subdirectory named url( below the directory containing the importing style sheet.

@import url(/css/screen.css) screen, projection;

Internet Explorer versions up to and including 8 only support a maximum of 3 nested levels of @import—that is you can’t chain more than 3 levels deep. Subsequent levels are ignored.