CSS Pseudo-classes

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CSS pseudo-classes are used to add special effects to some selectors.

Syntax

The syntax of pseudo-classes:

selector:pseudo-class {property:value;}

CSS classes can also be used with pseudo-classes:

selector.class:pseudo-class {property:value;}

Anchor Pseudo-classes

Links can be displayed in different ways in a CSS-supporting browser:

Example

a:link {color:#920692;}      /* unvisited link */
a:visited {color:#0F710F;}  /* visited link */
a:hover {color:#920692;}  /* mouse over link */
a:active {color:#0000FF;}  /* selected link */
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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!

Note: Pseudo-class names are not case-sensitive.

Pseudo-classes and CSS Classes

Pseudo-classes can be combined with CSS classes:

a.red:visited {color:#920692;}

<a class="red" href="css_syntax.html">CSS Syntax</a>

If the link in the example above was visited, it will be displayed in red.

CSS - The :first-child Pseudo-class

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

Note: For :first-child to work in IE a <!DOCTYPE> must be declared.

Match the first <p> element

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

Example

<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
p:first-child
{
color:blue;
}
</style>
</head>

<body>
<p>I am a strong man.</p>
<p>I am a strong man.</p>
</body>
</html>
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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

<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
p > i:first-child
{
font-weight:bold;
}
</style>
</head>

<body>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> man. I am a <i>strong</i> man.</p>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> man. I am a <i>strong</i> man.</p>
</body>
</html>
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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

<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
p:first-child i
{
color:blue;
}
</style>
</head>

<body>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> man. I am a <i>strong</i> man.</p>
<p>I am a <i>strong</i> man. I am a <i>strong</i> man.</p>
</body>
</html>
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CSS - The :lang Pseudo-class

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

Note: Internet Explorer 8 (and higher) supports the :lang pseudo-class if a <!DOCTYPE> is specified.

In the example below, the :lang class defines the quotation marks for q elements with lang="no":

Example

<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
q:lang(no) {quotes: "~" "~";}
</style>
</head>

<body>
<p>Some text <q lang="no">A quote in a paragraph</q> Some text.</p>
</body>
</html>
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More Examples

Add different styles to hyperlinks
This example demonstrates how to add other styles to hyperlinks.

Use of :focus
This example demonstrates how to use the :focus pseudo-class.

Pseudo-classes

The "CSS" column indicates in which CSS version the property is defined (CSS1 or CSS2).

Pseudo name Description CSS
:active Adds a style to an element that is activated 1
:first-child Adds a style to an element that is the first child of another element 2
:focus Adds a style to an element that has keyboard input focus 2
:hover Adds a style to an element when you mouse over it 1
:lang Adds a style to an element with a specific lang attribute 2
:link Adds a style to an unvisited link 1
:visited Adds a style to a visited link 1

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