CSS Selector Types - CSS Selectors - CodaSnap

Understanding CSS Selector Types

CSS selectors are patterns used to select and style the elements you want to modify on your web pages. They are essential for applying styles efficiently and effectively. This article will guide you through the different CSS selector types and how to use them.

CSS Selector Types

1. CSS Universal Selector

The universal selector (*) selects all elements on a page. It's useful for applying a global style to every element.

 

Example

CSS

* {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
}

 

2. CSS Type Selector

The Type selector selects all elements of a given type. For instance, a p selector targets all <p> elements.

 

Example

CSS

p {
    font-size: 16px;
    color: #333;
}

 

3. CSS Class Selector

Class selectors target elements with a specific class attribute. They are defined with a dot (.) followed by the class name.

 

Example

CSS

.intro {
    font-weight: bold;
}

 

4. CSS ID Selector

ID selectors select a single element with a specific ID. They are denoted with a hash (#) followed by the ID name.

 

Example

CSS

#main {
    background-color: #f4f4f4;
}

 

5. CSS Attribute Selector

Attribute selectors target elements based on the presence or value of an attribute.

 

Example

CSS

a[target="_blank"] {
    color: red;
}

 

 6. CSS Pseudo-class Selector

Pseudo-class selectors style elements based on their state or position.

 

Example

CSS

a:hover {
    text-decoration: underline;
}

 

7. CSS Pseudo-element Selector

Pseudo-element selector selects and styles a specific part of an element, rather than the element itself.

 

Example

CSS

p::after {
    content: url(images/image.png)
}
                    

 

Combining CSS Selectors

You can combine multiple CSS selector types together to apply styles more precisely. For example, combining a class and type selector:

 

Example

CSS

p.intro {
    color: blue;
}

 

CSS Grouping Selector

You can select multiple HTML elements to give them the same styles. To do this separate each selector with comma (,).

 

Example

CSS

h1, p, a {
    color: blue;
}

 

CSS Combinators

Combinator selects elements with a specific relationship between them.

There are four different combinators in CSS selectors:

• Descendant Selector
• Child Selector
• Adjacent Sibling Selector
• General Sibling Selector

1. CSS Descendant Selector

The Descendant Selector selects the elements that are descendant of a specific element.

 

Example

CSS

div p {
    font-size: 16px;
}

 

2. CSS Child Selector

The Child Selector (>) selects all the children elements of a specified element.

 

Example

CSS

div > h1 {
    font-weight: bold;
    color: red;
}

 

3. CSS Adjacent Sibling Selector

The Adjacent Sibling Selector (+) selects the element that is directly after another specified element. The elements you want to select must have same parent element.

 

Example

CSS

h1 + p {
    font-family: sans-serif;
}

 

4. General Sibling Selector

The General Sibling Selector (~) selects the elements that are siblings of the specified element.

 

Example

CSS

p ~ a {
    text-decoration: none;
}

 

Conclusion

Understanding and using different CSS selector types allows for more precise and efficient styling of web pages. By mastering these selectors, you can create more dynamic and responsive designs. Stay tuned to CodaSnap to master the Web-Development and make your future bright. Till then Keep Learning. Keep Coding.

CSS Selector References

 

Selectors	Description
element	Selects all the specified elements.
#id	Selects the element with the specified id.
.class	Selects all the elements with the specified class.
*	Selects all elements.

Relevant Links

Here are some resources to help you learn more:

Introduction to CSS

HTML Attributes

CSS Selectors - W3Schools

CSS Selectors - MDN Resources