# Style reading issues in JavaScript

Only styles specified via the `style` attribute can be read through the `style` property. This means that the styles set in the CSS file cannot be read.

Let's take a look at an example. Let's say we have the following element:

`<div id="elem"> text </div>`

Let the following styles be set for it in the CSS file:

`#elem { color: red; }`

Let's get a reference to an element into a variable:

`let elem = document.querySelector('#elem');`

Let's try to read the style value:

`console.log(elem.style.color); // shows ''`
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