From http://www.w3schools.com (Copyright Refsnes Data)
CSS pseudo-classes are used to add special effects to some selectors.
Hyperlink
This example demonstrates how to add different colors to a hyperlink in a
document.
Hyperlink 2
This example demonstrates how to add other styles to hyperlinks.
Hyperlink: use
of :focus
(does not work in IE)
This example demonstrates how to use the :focus pseudo-class on a hyperlink.
:first-child
- change first child <p>
This example sets any <p> element that is the first child
of any element to blue.
:first-child
- change first child <i> in all <p> elements
This example sets the first <i> element in all <p> elements to blue.
:first-child
- change all <i> elements in first child <p>
This example sets any <i> elements in first child
<p> elements to blue.
:lang (does not
work in IE)
This example demonstrates the use of the :lang pseudo-class.
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}
|
A link that is active, visited, unvisited, or when you mouse over a link can all be displayed in different ways in a CSS-supporting browser:
a:link {color: #FF0000} /* unvisited link */
a:visited {color: #00FF00} /* visited link */
a:hover {color: #FF00FF} /* mouse over link */
a:active {color: #0000FF} /* selected 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!!
Note: Pseudo-class names are not case-sensitive.
Pseudo-classes can be combined with CSS classes:
a.red:visited {color: #FF0000}
<a class="red" href="css_syntax.asp">CSS Syntax</a> |
If the link in the example above has been visited, it will be displayed in red.
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.
In the following example, the selector matches any <p> element that is the first child
of any element:
<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> |
In the following example, the selector matches the first <i> element in all <p> elements:
<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> |
In the following example, the selector matches all <i> elements in <p> elements that are the first child of another element:
<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> |
The :lang pseudo-class allows you to define special rules for different languages. In the example below, the :lang class defines the type of quotation marks for q elements with a lang attribute with a value of "no":
<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> |
Browser support: IE: Internet Explorer, F: Firefox, N: Netscape.
W3C: The number in the "W3C" column indicates in which CSS recommendation the property is defined (CSS1 or CSS2).
| Pseudo-class | Purpose | IE | F | N | W3C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :active | Adds special style to an activated element | 4 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| :focus | Adds special style to an element while the element has focus | - | 1.5 | 8 | 2 |
| :hover | Adds special style to an element when you mouse over it | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| :link | Adds special style to an unvisited link | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| :visited | Adds special style to a visited link | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| :first-child | Adds special style to an element that is the first child of some other element | 7 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| :lang | Allows the author to specify a language to use in a specified element | - | 1 | 8 | 2 |
From http://www.w3schools.com (Copyright Refsnes Data)