CSS comes with a wide variety of pseudo-classes that allow us to target elements based on their state, structure, and user interaction. Below is a categorized summary of commonly used pseudo-classes, complete with brief descriptions and learning priority levels (based on my personal opinion).
👁️ Element Display State Pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes target elements based on their display state.
| Pseudo-class | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| :fullscreen | Targets elements in fullscreen mode | ⭐⭐ |
| :modal | Targets an open <dialog> element displayed as a modal |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :picture-in-picture | Targets <video> elements in picture-in-picture mode |
⭐ |
| :open | Targets open elements like <details>
|
⭐⭐⭐ |
| :popover-open | Targets an element currently open as a popover | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
⌨️ Input Pseudo-classes
Used to target input elements based on their state, validation, and user interaction.
| Pseudo-class | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| :autofill | Targets form fields filled in automatically by the browser | ⭐ |
| :enabled | Targets input elements that are enabled | ⭐⭐ |
| :disabled | Targets input elements that are disabled | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :read-only | Targets input elements that are read-only | ⭐⭐ |
| :placeholder-shown | Targets input elements that show placeholder text | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :default | Targets default form elements (like a default button) | ⭐ |
| :checked | Targets selected checkboxes or radio buttons | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :blank | Targets completely empty input fields | ⭐ |
| :valid | Targets inputs that pass HTML5 validation | ⭐⭐ |
| :user-valid | Targets valid inputs after user interaction | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :invalid | Targets inputs that fail HTML5 validation | ⭐⭐ |
| :user-invalid | Targets invalid inputs after user interaction | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :in-range | Targets inputs with values within a valid range | ⭐ |
| :out-of-range | Targets inputs with values outside the valid range | ⭐ |
| :required | Targets required input fields | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :optional | Targets optional input fields | ⭐ |
🌍 Location Pseudo-classes
Target links or elements based on the URL or fragment identifier.
| Pseudo-class | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| :any-link | Targets all <a> elements with an href, whether visited or not |
⭐⭐⭐ |
| :link | Targets links that have not been visited | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :visited | Targets links that have been visited | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :local-link | Targets links pointing to the same page (internal links) | ⭐ |
| :target | Targets elements that match the URL fragment identifier (e.g., #section) |
⭐⭐⭐ |
🌳 Tree-structural Pseudo-classes
Used to target elements based on DOM structure.
| Pseudo-class | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| :root | Targets the root element of the document (usually <html>)—great for global CSS vars |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :empty | Targets elements with no children (including text/comments) | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :first-child | Targets the first child of its parent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :first-of-type | Targets the first sibling of its type | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :last-child | Targets the last child of its parent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :last-of-type | Targets the last sibling of its type | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :nth-child() | Targets elements based on their position among siblings | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :nth-last-child() | Targets elements from the end based on their position | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :nth-of-type() | Targets siblings of the same type based on order | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :nth-last-of-type() | Targets same-type siblings from the end | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| :only-child | Targets elements that are the only child of their parent | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :only-of-type | Targets elements that are the only one of their type among siblings | ⭐⭐ |
🖱️ User Action Pseudo-classes
These target elements based on user interaction like hovering, clicking, or focusing.
| Pseudo-class | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| :hover | Targets elements when hovered | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :active | Targets elements during active state (click or tap) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :focus | Targets elements receiving focus | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :focus-visible | Focus styles shown only when navigating with keyboard/tab | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :focus-within | Targets an element that contains a focused child element | ⭐⭐⭐ |
🧩 Functional Pseudo-classes
These pseudo-classes use parentheses () to create more dynamic and flexible selectors.
| Pseudo-class | Description | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| :is() | Simplifies writing complex selectors. Great for targeting multiple elements at once | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :where() | Like :is(), but doesn’t add specificity. Perfect for resets or default styling |
⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :has() | A powerful parent selector that targets elements based on their children or content | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| :not() | Excludes elements that match a certain selector | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
These four pseudo-classes are powerful and highly recommended for writing expressive and maintainable CSS selectors.
Disclaimer: The priority ratings above are entirely based on my personal opinion. Feel free to adjust based on your own needs and experience.
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