How is the order of precedence for CSS styles determined?

The determination of the order of precedence for CSS styles is fundamentally based on the specificity of the selectors and their order of appearance within the stylesheet. Specificity refers to a set of rules that calculates which CSS rule applies if multiple rules could apply to the same element. It involves a ranking mechanism whereby more specific selectors override more general ones.

For instance, an ID selector has a higher specificity than a class selector, and a class selector has a higher specificity than a tag selector. When styles are applied, if two selectors have the same specificity, the one that appears later in the style sheet takes precedence. This means that the order in which styles are declared can impact which style is applied to an element.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe how CSS precedence is determined. The size of the CSS file does not play a role in how styles are applied; it simply affects load times and performance. Different browsers adhere to the same principles of specificity and order, meaning the browser itself does not change how styles are prioritized. Lastly, the content type on the web page does not influence the CSS precedence; rather, it is the selectors defined in the CSS that determine this order. Thus, understanding specificity and declaration order is crucial for effective CSS application.