Pseudo-classes
A CSS pseudo-class is a keyword added to a selector that specifies a special state of the selected element(s). For example, :hover
can be used to change a button's color when the user's pointer hovers over it.
/* Any button over which the user's pointer is hovering */
button:hover {
color: blue;
}
Pseudo-classes let you apply a style to an element not only in relation to the content of the document tree, but also in relation to external factors like the history of the navigator (:visited
, for example), the status of its content (like :checked
on certain form elements), or the position of the mouse (like :hover
, which lets you know if the mouse is over an element or not).
Note: In contrast to pseudo-classes, pseudo-elements can be used to style a specific part of an element.
Linguistic pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes reflect the document language, and enable the selection of elements based on language or script direction.
Location pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes relate to links, and to targeted elements within the current document.
:any-link
-
Matches an element if the element would match either
:link
or:visited
. :link
-
Matches links that have not yet been visited.
:visited
-
Matches links that have been visited.
:local-link
-
Matches links whose absolute URL is the same as the target URL, for example anchor links to the same page.
:target
-
Matches the element which is the target of the document URL.
:target-within
-
Matches elements which are the target of the document URL, but also elements which have a descendant which is the target of the document URL.
:scope
-
Represents elements that are a reference point for selectors to match against.
User action pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes require some interaction by the user in order for them to apply, such as holding a mouse pointer over an element.
:hover
-
Matches when a user designates an item with a pointing device, for example holding the mouse pointer over it.
:active
-
Matches when an item is being activated by the user, for example clicked on.
:focus
-
Matches when an element has focus.
:focus-visible
-
Matches when an element has focus and the user agent identifies that the element should be visibly focused.
:focus-within
-
Matches an element to which
:focus
applies, plus any element that has a descendant to which:focus
applies.
Time-dimensional pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes apply when viewing something which has timing, such as a WebVTT caption track.
Resource state pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes apply to media that is capable of being in a state where it would be described as playing, such as a video.
The input pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes relate to form elements, and enable selecting elements based on HTML attributes and the state that the field is in before and after interaction.
:autofill
-
Matches when an
<input>
has been autofilled by the browser. :enabled
-
Represents a user interface element that is in an enabled state.
:disabled
-
Represents a user interface element that is in a disabled state.
:read-only
-
Represents any element that cannot be changed by the user.
:read-write
-
Represents any element that is user-editable.
:placeholder-shown
-
Matches an input element that is displaying placeholder text, for example from the HTML5
placeholder
attribute. :default
-
Matches one or more UI elements that are the default among a set of elements.
:checked
-
Matches when elements such as checkboxes and radiobuttons are toggled on.
:indeterminate
-
Matches when UI elements are in an indeterminate state.
:blank
-
Matches a user-input element which is empty, containing an empty string or other null input.
:valid
-
Matches an element with valid contents. For example an input element with type 'email' which contains a validly formed email address.
:invalid
-
Matches an element with invalid contents. For example an input element with type 'email' with a name entered.
:in-range
-
Applies to elements with range limitations, for example a slider control, when the selected value is in the allowed range.
:out-of-range
-
Applies to elements with range limitations, for example a slider control, when the selected value is outside the allowed range.
:required
-
Matches when a form element is required.
:optional
-
Matches when a form element is optional.
:user-invalid
-
Represents an element with incorrect input, but only when the user has interacted with it.
Tree-structural pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes relate to the location of an element within the document tree.
:root
-
Represents an element that is the root of the document. In HTML this is usually the
<html>
element. :empty
-
Represents an element with no children other than white-space characters.
:nth-child
-
Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements.
:nth-last-child
-
Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements, counting backwards from the end of the list.
:first-child
-
Matches an element that is the first of its siblings.
:last-child
-
Matches an element that is the last of its siblings.
:only-child
-
Matches an element that has no siblings. For example a list item with no other list items in that list.
:nth-of-type
-
Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements that match a certain type from a list of sibling elements.
:nth-last-of-type
-
Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements that match a certain type from a list of sibling elements counting backwards from the end of the list.
:first-of-type
-
Matches an element that is the first of its siblings, and also matches a certain type selector.
:last-of-type
-
Matches an element that is the last of its siblings, and also matches a certain type selector.
:only-of-type
-
Matches an element that has no siblings of the chosen type selector.
Syntax
selector:pseudo-class {
property: value;
}
Like regular classes, you can chain together as many pseudo-classes as you want in a selector.
Alphabetical index
Pseudo-classes defined by a set of CSS specifications include the following:
A
B
C
D
E
F
H
I
L
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Specifications
Specification |
---|
HTML Standard # pseudo-classes |
Selectors Level 4 |
CSS Basic User Interface Module Level 4 |