* {
      margin: 0;
      padding: 0;
      box-sizing: border-box;
      font-family: 'Poppins', sans-serif;
    }

    :root {
      --bg-color: #ffffff;
      --text-color: #000000;
      --hero-bg: rgba(20,30,50,0.4);
      --hero-bg-secondary: rgba(20,30,50,0.2);
      --nav-bg: rgba(255,255,255,0.15);
      --nav-text: rgba(0,0,0,0.95);
      --nav-hover: #007bff;
      --accent: #007bff;
      --primary: #5D5CDE;
      --secondary-text: #666666;
      --hero-text: #333333;
      --btn-bg: linear-gradient(45deg, #007bff, #0056b3);
      --btn-shadow: rgba(0,123,255,0.6);
      --footer-bg: #f8f9fa;
      --footer-text: #666666;
    }

    .dark {
      --bg-color: #0a0f1f;
      --text-color: #ffffff;
      --hero-bg: rgba(10,15,31,0.5);
      --hero-bg-secondary: rgba(10,15,31,0.2);
      --nav-bg: rgba(10,15,31,0.15);
      --nav-text: rgba(255,255,255,0.95);
      --nav-hover: #00f5ff;
      --accent: #00f5ff;
      --secondary-text: #d1d5ff;
      --hero-text: #d1d5ff;
      --btn-bg: linear-gradient(45deg, #00f5ff, #0066ff);
      --btn-shadow: rgba(0,245,255,0.6);
      --footer-bg: #050813;
      --footer-text: #aaa;
    }

    body {
      color: var(--text-color);
      background: var(--bg-color);
      /* leave space for fixed navbar so content doesn't hide under it */
      padding-top: 70px;
      overflow-x: hidden;
    }

    /* BACKGROUND */
    .hero {
      min-height: 100vh;
      /* gradient overlay on top of the background image */
      background:
        linear-gradient(to right, var(--hero-bg), var(--hero-bg-secondary)),
        url('https://github.com/Benfyndre/Images/raw/048be32314ea03f556b127ee1a35907afe3db005/Smart%20tech%20solutions%20bg.jpg');
      background-size: cover; /* ensures the image covers the area responsively */
      background-position: center;
      background-repeat: no-repeat;
      background-attachment: fixed; /* parallax effect on desktop */
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      overflow: hidden;
      -webkit-background-size: cover;
      -moz-background-size: cover;
      -o-background-size: cover;
    }

    /* NAVIGATION */
    nav {
      display: flex;
      justify-content: space-between;
      align-items: center;
      padding: 0 8%;
      height: 70px;
      position: fixed;
      top: 0;
      left: 0;
      right: 0;
      width: 100%;
      z-index: 9999;
      background: linear-gradient(to right, #5D5CDE, #4F46E5);
      box-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
    }

    nav h1 {
      font-size: 1.6rem;
      color: #ffffff;
      letter-spacing: 0.5px;
      font-weight: 700;
      cursor: pointer;
      margin: 0;
    }

    nav h1:hover {
      opacity: 0.9;
    }

    nav ul {
      display: flex;
      list-style: none;
      gap: 20px;
      align-items: center;
      flex-wrap: wrap;
      margin: 0 auto;
    }

    nav ul li {
      margin-left: 15px;
    }

    nav ul li a {
      text-decoration: none;
      color: var(--nav-text);
      font-weight: 700;
      transition: 0.3s;
      padding: 8px 12px;
      border-radius: 5px;
      font-size: 16px;
    }

    /* Make nav links appear transparent when shown over the hero section */
    .hero nav .nav-links a {
      color: #ffffff;
    }

    /* NAV TOGGLE (for small screens) */
    .nav-toggle {
      display: none;
      background: transparent;
      border: none;
      color: #ffffff;
      font-size: 24px;
      cursor: pointer;
      transition: 0.3s ease;
    }

    .nav-toggle:hover {
      opacity: 0.8;
    }

    nav ul li a:hover {
      color: #ffffff;
      background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
      opacity: 1;
      border-radius: 5px;
      box-shadow: 0 0 15px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3);
      transform: scale(1.05);
    }

    /* HERO CONTENT */
    .hero-content {
      flex: 1;
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      padding: 0 8%;
    }

    .hero-text {
      max-width: 700px;
      animation: fadeUp 1.5s ease;
      padding: 40px 50px;
    }

    .hero-text h2 {
      font-size: 50px;
      line-height: 1.2;
      color: #ffffff;
      text-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
      letter-spacing: 0.5px;
    }

    .dark .hero-text h2 {
      color: #ffffff;
      text-shadow: 0 2px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.6);
    }

    .hero-text span {
      color: #00f5ff;
      text-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,245,255,0.3);
    }

    .dark .hero-text span {
      color: #00f5ff;
      text-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0,245,255,0.4);
    }

    .hero-text p {
      margin: 20px 0;
      color: #e0e0e0;
      font-weight: 500;
      font-size: 18px;
      text-shadow: 0 1px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.4);
      line-height: 1.6;
    }

    .dark .hero-text p {
      color: #f0f0f0;
      text-shadow: 0 1px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
    }

    .btn {
      display: inline-block;
      padding: 16px 40px;
      background: linear-gradient(45deg, #00d4ff, #0099ff);
      border-radius: 30px;
      color: #ffffff;
      font-weight: 700;
      text-decoration: none;
      box-shadow: 0 0 30px rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.7);
      transition: transform 0.3s, box-shadow 0.3s;
      text-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.4);
      border: 2px solid transparent;
      font-size: 16px;
    }

    .btn:hover {
      transform: scale(1.08);
      box-shadow: 0 0 40px rgba(0, 212, 255, 0.9);
      background: linear-gradient(45deg, #00e5ff, #00aaff);
    }

    /* FOOTER */
    footer {
      padding: 30px;
      text-align: center;
      background: var(--footer-bg);
      color: var(--footer-text);
    }

    /* ANIMATION */
    @keyframes fadeUp {
      from {
        opacity: 0;
        transform: translateY(40px);
      }
      to {
        opacity: 1;
        transform: translateY(0);
      }
    }

    @media(max-width: 768px) {
      .hero {
        height: auto;
        min-height: 80vh;
        background-position: center;
        background-attachment: scroll;
        background:
          linear-gradient(to right, rgba(20,30,50,0.4), rgba(20,30,50,0.2)),
          url('https://github.com/Benfyndre/Images/raw/048be32314ea03f556b127ee1a35907afe3db005/Smart%20tech%20solutions%20bg.jpg');
        background-size: cover;
      }

      .hero-content {
        padding: 30px 6%;
        align-items: flex-start;
      }

      .hero-text {
        max-width: 100%;
        padding: 24px 20px;
      }

      .hero-text h2 {
        font-size: 32px;
      }

      .btn {
        width: 100%;
        text-align: center;
      }

      /* make navbar more compact on small screens */
      nav {
        padding: 12px 6%;
        height: 70px;
        background: linear-gradient(to right, #5D5CDE, #4F46E5);
        display: flex;
        justify-content: space-between;
        align-items: center;
      }

      /* reduce spacing between links on small screens */
      nav ul li {
        margin-left: 0;
      }

      /* avoid huge top padding on tiny screens */
      body {
        padding-top: 70px;
      }
      /* show hamburger */
      .nav-toggle {
        display: block;
      }

      nav h1 {
        font-size: 1.4rem;
      }

      /* hide links by default and make dropdown style */
      .nav-links {
        display: none;
        position: absolute;
        top: 70px;
        right: 0;
        left: 0;
        background: linear-gradient(to right, #5D5CDE, #4F46E5);
        flex-direction: column;
        padding: 16px 20px;
        border-radius: 0;
        box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.15);
        min-width: auto;
        width: 100%;
      }

      .nav-links li {
        margin: 12px 0;
      }

      .nav-links li a {
        color: #ffffff;
        font-size: 16px;
      }

      .nav-links li a:hover {
        background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
        padding: 8px 12px;
      }

      /* when nav has .nav-open class, show links */
      nav.nav-open .nav-links {
        display: flex;
      }
    }