今天才知道有这么一个东西，呵呵！搜索了下发现网络上面果然有好东西，下面是转过来的。

1、What is CSS Sprites

CSS sprites allow you to create a single file that contains all the images laid out in a grid, meaning only a single image and only a single server call, with roughly the same file size because the empty space is compressed. In that file, you will place all individual "sprites" that make up your interface separated by enough space that they don’t start running over each other. You’ll then set the background position (using negative values to move the background up) and include enough space around each sprite so that only it appears in the background of the element, effectively masking the rest of the sprite images

2、CSS Sprites的意义

按照yahoo的 rules for high performance web sites的原则，应当较少Client与Server端间的HTTP Request次数。

通过CSS Sprites方法将多张图片组装成单独的一张图片，可以有效减少HTTP请求的次数。

How To: Minimize HTTP Requests – The Most Important Guideline for Improving Web Site Performance

7 Easy-to-Apply Tips to Improve Your Web Site Performance

Performance Research, Part 1: What the 80/20 Rule Tells Us about Reducing HTTP Requests

Firebug 及yslow的相关资料

3、CSS Sprites使用

有几篇关于CSS Sprites的文章，基本上把其原理和机制说明得很清楚。

What Are CSS Sprites?

How to create CSS sprites

Creating Rollover Effects with CSS Sprites

Building a Dynamic Banner with CSS Sprites

High Performance Web Sites中关于CSS Sprites的内容3.2. CSS Sprites

4、CSS Sprites的问题

由于IE6存在的background的flicker问题IE6/Win, background image on <a>, cache=‘check every visit’: flicker!，有人针对此问题提出了解决方案Fast Rollovers Without Preload

关于IE6的flicker问题，fivesevensix.com上有一篇很不错的研究文章Minimize Flickering CSS Background Images in IE6

另外：brunildo.org的CSS tests and experiments是关于css各种功能不错的参考手册和测试工具。

5、相关资源

What Are CSS Sprites?

http://www.peachpit.com/articles/printerfriendly.aspx?p=447210&rl=1

CSS Sprites: Image Slicing’s Kiss of Death

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/sprites/

CSS Sprites Generator

http://www.csssprites.com/

Fast Rollovers Without Preload

http://wellstyled.com/css-nopreload-rollovers.html

JavaScript Sprite Animation Using jQuery

http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/07/20/javascript-sprite-animation-using-jquery/

http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2007/07/05/css-using-percentages-in-background-image/

How to create CSS sprites

http://fatagnus.com/how-to-create-css-sprites/

Creating Rollover Effects with CSS Sprites

http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/Web-Style-Sheets/Creating-Rollover-Effects-with-CSS-Sprites/

Building a Dynamic Banner with CSS Sprites

http://www.devarticles.com/c/a/Web-Style-Sheets/Building-a-Dynamic-Banner-with-CSS-Sprites/

CSS Sprites and IE/Win Flicker Issue

http://www.brajeshwar.com/2006/css-sprites-and-iewin-flicker-issue/

css用法测试工具：CSS tests and experiments

http://www.brunildo.org/test/index.html

文章出处：http://chuanliang2007.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!E5B7AB2851A4C9D2!180.entry