Which kind of CSS rule is defined within the HTML document, making it the most specific?

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The type of CSS rule that is defined within the HTML document and has the highest specificity is the inline CSS rule. Inline CSS is applied directly to an HTML element using the style attribute. This means that the styles are associated with a specific element rather than being declared in a separate stylesheet or within a <style> tag in the document head.

By having styles applied directly to the element, inline CSS overrides other types of styles such as embedded (internal) or external stylesheets, making it the most specific option for styling elements. This specificity comes into play because specific styles declared inline will take precedence over styles defined elsewhere, allowing for quick and precise adjustments to individual elements.

In contrast, embedded CSS is defined within the <style> tags in the document head, external CSS is linked from separate stylesheets, and internal may refer to styles defined in a <style> element as well. While these other rules can style multiple elements at once, they do not have the same level of specificity as inline styles applied directly to an element. This characteristic of inline CSS is crucial when trying to ensure particular styles are used for specific HTML elements without being overridden by other styles throughout the document.