With the release of Chrome 135, web developers finally get access to two powerful new pseudo-elements:

• ::scroll-button()
• ::scroll-marker()

These pseudo-elements unlock fully functional carousels, sliders, and scrollable components without a single line of JavaScript.

TL;DR: These new features make interactive scroll experiences accessible, stylable, and keyboard-friendly — all from your CSS file.

🆕 What Are ::scroll-button() and ::scroll-marker()?

::scroll-button()

This pseudo-element renders scroll control buttons — left/right or up/down depending on the scroll direction. You can style them like any element, and users can interact with them out of the box.

::scroll-marker()

Think of this like scrollable radio dots — showing the position of each scroll snap point. They’re interactive, accessible, and visual indicators of your scroll progress.

Why They're a Big Deal

• ✅ Automatically accessible (screen reader + keyboard support)
• ✅ Pairs with scroll-snap-type
• ✅ No JavaScript needed
• ✅ Fully stylable using CSS

🔥 Real-World Carousel Example (JavaScript Fallback)

Here’s a simple JavaScript-based carousel (for legacy support), which will soon be entirely CSS-driven using ::scroll-button() and ::scroll-marker() in Chrome 135+:

👉 Live Demo Here

<!-- Full working demo with scroll + JS -->
<div class="carousel">
  <!-- Slides -->
</div>

[Full code example here... already shown above]

💡 What This Will Look Like in Pure CSS

.scroll-container::scroll-button(start) {
  content: '◀';
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
  top: 50%;
  transform: translateY(-50%);
}

.scroll-container::scroll-button(end) {
  content: '▶';
  position: absolute;
  right: 0;
  top: 50%;
  transform: translateY(-50%);
}

No JavaScript. No event listeners. Just drop in a scroll-snap container, and the browser handles it.

🎯 Why This Matters

Using ::scroll-button() and ::scroll-marker() means:

• ✅ Native accessibility (no ARIA hoops to jump through)
• ✅ Built-in keyboard support
• ✅ Zero JS needed for sliders
• ✅ Smaller bundle sizes, better perf

🧪 Browser Support (as of Chrome 135)

To enable the feature in Chrome manually:

chrome://flags/#enable-experimental-web-platform-features

🧠 Final Thoughts

This is a huge leap for native web components. Once Firefox and Safari catch up, we’ll finally have fully accessible carousels and sliders without needing bloated libraries or JS hacks.

Until then — progressive enhancement is your best friend.

🙋‍♂️ Let’s Talk!

What would you build with ::scroll-button()?

• A portfolio carousel?
• A product slider?
• An onboarding walkthrough?

Should developers ditch JS sliders forever? Or is it too early?

👉 Try the full responsive carousel demo:
🔗 https://clever-cocada-9cd821.netlify.app/

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