It identifies the elements that are currently in focus for the user. Typically, it is applied to input elements within forms and activates upon a user click event.
A CSS pseudo-class known as CSS Focus allows developers to customize the appearance of an HTML element when it gains focus. In the context of web development, "focus" typically indicates that the user has interacted with an element, such as through clicking, tapping, or keyboard input.
Focus represents a user-triggered pseudo-class that is responsible for applying styles to an element once it is in focus. This feature plays a crucial role in making websites more accessible and improving the overall user experience, particularly for individuals using assistive devices.
While using CSS focus, we have some practice that we need to use.
- Maintain Subtleness: Although focus styles are necessary for accessibility, it is important to maintain their visual appeal.
- Consider Accessibility: Make sure users navigating with keyboards or other assistive technologies can access your focus styles.
- Test Across Browsers: To ensure a consistent user experience, extensive testing is necessary, as different browsers may interpret focus styles differently.
Use case of CSS Focus
CSS Focus is a versatile tool that helps us find applications in various scenarios, improving the user experience on websites.
- Forms: Users can better understand which field they are interacting with by applying focus styles to form fields.
- Buttons and Links: Improving the way buttons or links look when they are focused enhances the user experience as a whole.
- Interactive Elements: Focus styles can enhance accessibility and user understanding of elements like modals and dropdown menus.
CSS focus plays a vital role in HTML elements, as it signifies the element selected by the user. By utilizing CSS focus, users are able to identify the elements they are engaging with, making it a crucial component of web design.
Syntax:
The syntax of CSS focus is:
input:focus {
border-color: #3498db;
}
Example
Let's consider a basic example involving the CSS focus pseudo-class. Below demonstrates the application of focus in CSS.
<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
<style>
form{
text-align:center;
}
input:focus{
border:5px solid lightblue;
box-shadow:10px 10px 10px black;
color: blue;
width:300px;
}
</style>
<body>
<form>
<h1>Name: <input type="text" value="Enter your name"></h1>
</form>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Example 2:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<style>
/* Define a style for the element when it is not in focus */
input {
padding: 10px;
font-size: 16px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}
input:focus {
border-color: #007bff; /* Change border color to blue when in focus */
outline: none; /* Remove the default focus outline */
box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.5); /* Add a subtle box shadow */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<label for="exampleInput">Type something:</label>
<input type="text" id="exampleInput" placeholder="Click me">
</body>
</html>
Output:
CSS Pseudo-classes
CSS pseudo-classes are selectors designed to target elements based on their fundamental states or connections to other elements.
In simpler terms, a pseudo-class can be described as a modifier paired with a selector that specifies the unique condition of the chosen elements.
Pseudo-classes are commonly employed to add styles to elements in specific situations or conditions. This includes choosing the initial or final child of a particular element, addressing visited links, and formatting elements when users engage with them (such as through clicking or hovering).
Although there are various CSS pseudo-classes, here we are going to discuss some of the most commonly used pseudo-classes.
- Active: It is used to add style to an active element.
- Hover: It adds special effects to an element when the user moves the mouse pointer over the element.
- Link: It adds style to the unvisited link.
- Visited: It adds style to a visited link.
- Lang: It is used to define a language to use in a specified element.
- Focus: It selects the element that is focused on by the user currently.
- First-child: It adds special effects to an element, which is the first child of another element.
There exist numerous pseudo-classes within CSS, such as hover, active, link, and focus.