CSS Pseudo-classes
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
Mouse Over Me
Syntax
The syntax of pseudo-classes:
selector:pseudo-class
{ property: value;
}
Anchor Pseudo-classes
Links can be displayed in different ways:
Example
/* unvisited link */
a:link {
color: #FF0000;
}
/* visited link */
a:visited { color: #00FF00;
}
/* mouse over link */ a:hover {
color: #FF00FF;
}
/* selected link */ a:active {
color: #0000FF;
}
Try it Yourself »
Note: a:hover MUST come after a:link and a:visited in the CSS definition in order to be
effective! a:active MUST come after a:hover in the CSS definition in order to be effective!
Pseudo-class names are not case-sensitive.
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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
a.highlight:hover
{ color: #ff0000;
}
Try it Yourself »
Hover on <div>
An example of using the :hover pseudo-class on a <div> element:
Example
div:hover {
background-color: blue;
}
Try it Yourself »
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
p {
display: none;
background-color: yellow;
padding: 20px;
}
div:hover p { display:
block;
}
Try it Yourself »
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
p:first-child
{ color: blue;
}
Try it Yourself »
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
p i:first-child
{ color: blue;
}
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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
p:first-child i
{ color: blue;
}
Try it Yourself »
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>
Try it Yourself »
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.
Exercise:
Set the background-color to red, when you mouse over a link.
<style>
{
background-color: red;
}
</style>
<body>
<h1>This is a header.</h1>
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<a href="https://w3schools.com">This is a link.</a>
</body>
Submit Answer » Start the Exercise
All CSS Pseudo Classes
Selector Example Example description
:active a:active Selects the active link
:checked input:checked Selects every checked <input> element
:disabled input:disabled Selects every disabled <input> element
:empty p:empty Selects every <p> element that has no children
:enabled input:enabled Selects every enabled <input> element
:first-child p:first-child Selects every <p> elements that is the first child of
its parent
:first-of-type p:first-of-type Selects every <p> element that is the first <p>
element of its parent
:focus input:focus Selects the <input> element that has focus
:hover a:hover Selects links on mouse over
:in-range input:in-range Selects <input> elements with a value within a
specified range
:invalid input:invalid Selects all <input> elements with an invalid value
:lang(language) p:lang(it) Selects every <p> element with a lang attribute value
starting with "it"
:last-child p:last-child Selects every <p> elements that is the last child of its
Parent
:last-of-type p:last-of-type Selects every <p> element that is the last <p>
element of its parent
:link a:link Selects all unvisited links
:not(selector) :not(p) Selects every element that is not a <p> element
:nth-child(n) p:nth-child(2) Selects every <p> element that is the second child of
its parent
:nth-last-child(n) p:nth-last-child(2) Selects every <p> element that is the second child of
its parent, counting from the last child
:nth-last-of-type(n) p:nth-last-of-type(2) Selects every <p> element that is the second <p>
element of its parent, counting from the last child
:nth-of-type(n) p:nth-of-type(2) Selects every <p> element that is the second <p>
element of its parent
:only-of-type p:only-of-type Selects every <p> element that is the only <p>
element of its parent
:only-child p:only-child Selects every <p> element that is the only child of its
Parent
:optional input:optional Selects <input> elements with no "required" attribute
:out-of-range input:out-of-range Selects <input> elements with a value outside a
specified range
:read-only input:read-only Selects <input> elements with a "readonly" attribute
Specified
:read-write input:read-write Selects <input> elements with no "readonly" attribute
:required input:required Selects <input> elements with a "required" attribute
Specified
:root root Selects the document's root element
:target #news:target Selects the current active #news element (clicked on a
containing that anchor name)
:valid input:valid Selects all <input> elements with a valid value
:visited a:visited Selects all visited links
All CSS Pseudo Elements
Selector Example Example description
::after p::after Insert content after every <p> element
::before p::before Insert content before every <p> element
::first-letter p::first-letter Selects the first letter of every <p> element
::first-line p::first-line Selects the first line of every <p> element
::selection p::selection Selects the portion of an element that is selected by a
User
