Google HTML/CSS Style Guide - Formatting and style rules

Q: What encoding and HTML meta charset settings are recommended?

Use UTF-8 without a BOM, and declare UTF-8 in HTML with ` `; CSS files assume UTF-8 and do not need an encoding declaration.

Nov 2, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi

Guide defining formatting and style rules for HTML and CSS working files, including Sass and GSS assets. Establishes core collaboration goals: improve consistency, code quality, and supporting infrastructure through a shared vocabulary and predictable formatting. Specifies practical standards such as HTTPS for embedded resources, two-space indentation, lowercase conventions for code (with string exceptions), removal of trailing whitespace, and UTF-8 encoding without BOM. Covers HTML structure, semantics, multimedia fallbacks, separation of concerns, comments, and TODO-based action items.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

General rules at a glance

Protocol

Indentation

Capitalization

Whitespace

Encoding

The first formatting decisions

General style rules

Protocol

Indentation

Capitalization

Trailing whitespace

Encoding

Comments

Action items

FAQs

What indentation style does the guide require for HTML and CSS?

Use two spaces for indentation and never use tabs or mixed indentation.

How should capitalization be handled in code and strings?

Use lowercase for HTML element names, attributes, CSS selectors/properties/values, and attribute values except that strings are exempt.

What encoding and HTML meta charset settings are recommended?

Use UTF-8 without a BOM, and declare UTF-8 in HTML with <meta charset="utf-8">; CSS files assume UTF-8 and do not need an encoding declaration.

Nov 2, 2026

Uploaded by Mimi