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

All CSS Pseudo Classes

SelectorExampleExample description
:activea:activeSelects the active link
:checkedinput:checkedSelects every checked <input> element
:disabledinput:disabledSelects every disabled <input> element
:emptyp:emptySelects every <p> element that has no children
:enabledinput:enabledSelects every enabled <input> element
:first-childp:first-childSelects every <p> elements that is the first child of its parent
:first-of-typep:first-of-typeSelects every <p> element that is the first <p> element of its parent
:focusinput:focusSelects the <input> element that has focus
:hovera:hoverSelects links on mouse over
:in-rangeinput:in-rangeSelects <input> elements with a value within a specified range
:invalidinput:invalidSelects 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-childp:last-childSelects every <p> elements that is the last child of its parent
:last-of-typep:last-of-typeSelects every <p> element that is the last <p> element of its parent
:linka:linkSelects 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-typep:only-of-typeSelects every <p> element that is the only <p> element of its parent
:only-childp:only-childSelects every <p> element that is the only child of its parent
:optionalinput:optionalSelects <input> elements with no "required" attribute
:out-of-rangeinput:out-of-rangeSelects <input> elements with a value outside a specified range
:read-onlyinput:read-onlySelects <input> elements with a "readonly" attribute specified
:read-writeinput:read-writeSelects <input> elements with no "readonly" attribute
:requiredinput:requiredSelects <input> elements with a "required" attribute specified
:rootrootSelects the document's root element
:target#news:targetSelects the current active #news element (clicked on a URL containing that anchor name)
:validinput:validSelects all <input> elements with a valid value
:visiteda:visitedSelects all visited links