CSS Pseudo-classes

By | July 9, 2022

What are Pseudo-classes?

A pseudo-class is used to define a special state of an element.

For example, it can be used to:

  • Style an element when a user mouses over it
  • Style visited and unvisited links differently
  • Style an element when it gets focus

Syntax

The syntax of pseudo-classes:
selector:pseudo-class {
  property: value;
}

Anchor Pseudo-classes

Links can be displayed in different ways:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
/* unvisited link */
a:link {
  color: red;
}
/* visited link */
a:visited {
  color: green;
}
/* mouse over link */
a:hover {
  color: hotpink;
}
/* selected link */
a:active {
  color: blue;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h2>Styling a link depending on state</h2>
<p><b><a href="default.asp" target="_blank">This is a link</a></b></p>
<p><b>Note:</b> a:hover MUST come after a:link and a:visited in the CSS definition in order to be effective.</p>
<p><b>Note:</b> a:active MUST come after a:hover in the CSS definition in order to be effective.</p>
</body>
</html>

Result:

Styling a link depending on state

This is a link – Unvisited Link

This is a link – Visited Link

This is a link – Hover Link

This is a link – Active Link

Note: a:hover MUST come after a:link and a:visited in the CSS definition in order to be effective.

Note: a:active MUST come after a:hover in the CSS definition in order to be effective.

Pseudo-classes and HTML Classes

Pseudo-classes can be combined with HTML classes:

When you hover over the link in the example, it will change color:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
a.highlight:hover {
  color: #ff0000;
  font-size: 22px;
} 
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h2>Pseudo-classes and HTML Classes</h2>
<p>When you hover over the first link below, it will change color and font size:</p>
<p><a class="highlight" href="css_syntax.asp">CSS Syntax</a></p>
<p><a href="default.asp">CSS Tutorial</a></p>
</body>
</html>

Result:

Hover on <div>

An example of using the :hover pseudo-class on a <div> element:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
div {
  background-color: green;
  color: white;
  padding: 25px;
  text-align: center;
}
div:hover {
  background-color: blue;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Mouse over the div element below to change its background color:</p>
<div>Mouse Over Me</div>
</body>
</html>

Result:

Simple Tooltip Hover

Hover over a <div> element to show a <p> element (like a tooltip):

Hover over me to show the <p> element.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
p {
  display: none;
  background-color: yellow;
  padding: 20px;
}
div:hover p {
  display: block;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div>Hover over this div element to show the p element  <p>Tada! Here I am!</p></div>
</body>
</html>

Result:

CSS – The :first-child Pseudo-class

The :first-child pseudo-class matches a specified element that is the first child of another element.

Match the first <p> element

In the following example, the selector matches any <p> element that is the first child of any element:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
p:first-child {
  color: blue;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>This is some text.</p>
<p>This is some text.</p>
<div>
  <p>This is some text.</p>
  <p>This is some text.</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Result:

This is some text.

This is some text.

This is some text.

This is some text.

Match the first <i> element in all <p> elements

In the following example, the selector matches the first <i> element in all <p> elements:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
p i:first-child {
  color: blue;
} 
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> person. I am a <i>strong</i> person.</p>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> person. I am a <i>strong</i> person.</p>
</body>
</html>

Result:

I am a strong person. I am a strong person.

I am a strong person. I am a strong person.

Match all <i> elements in all first child <p> elements

In the following example, the selector matches all <i> elements in <p> elements that are the first child of another element:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
p:first-child i {
  color: blue;
} 
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> person. I am a <i>strong</i> person.</p>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> person. I am a <i>strong</i> person.</p>
<div>
  <p>I am a <i>strong</i> person. I am a <i>strong</i> person.</p>
  <p>I am a <i>strong</i> person. I am a <i>strong</i> person.</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Result:

I am a strong person. I am a strong person.

I am a strong person. I am a strong person.

I am a strong person. I am a strong person.

I am a strong person. I am a strong person.

CSS – The :lang Pseudo-class

The :lang pseudo-class allows you to define special rules for different languages.

In the example below, :lang defines the quotation marks for <q> elements with lang=”no”:

Example

<html>
<head>
<style>
q:lang(no) {
  quotes: “~” “~”;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Some text <q lang=”no”>A quote in a paragraph</q> Some text.</p>
</body>
</html>

Result:

Some text A quote in a paragraph Some text.

In this example, :lang defines the quotation marks for q elements with lang=”no”:

Category: CSS

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