What is WebKit and how is it related to CSS

Question

I've suddenly noticed questions with the tag "WebKit." These are mainly web-based queries about CSS, jQuery, layouts, cross-browser compatibility issues, and so on.

What exactly is a "WebKit," and how does it relate to CSS? I've also discovered numerous -WebKit-... properties in the source code of various websites. Are these two connected?

Update
So, based on the responses thus far, WebKit is an HTML/CSS web browser rendering engine for Safari/Chrome. Are similar engines available for Internet Explorer, Opera, and Firefox, and what are the advantages, benefits, and drawbacks of utilizing one over the other? Can I use WebKit features in Firefox for example?

The ultimate question... Does Internet Explorer support WebKit?

Update 2
Different rendering engines are used by the major browsers. I suppose this is a major reason for so many cross-browser compatibility concerns!

Is there a project or movement on to create a uniform rendering engine that ALL browsers will use? Will HTML5 put an end to cross-browser compatibility problems?

Answer 1

In the CSS syntax for rendering content in Safari and Chrome browsers, the term 'webkit' is used. Due to the absence of cross-compatibility, Webkit code may need to be introduced to CSS to ensure it renders appropriately on Chrome and Safari.