CSS Type Selector

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Utilizing CSS type selectors is a fundamental technique for styling HTML elements. By employing a type selector, you can target specific items based on the name of the HTML tag they are associated with. This approach allows you to easily apply styles to all elements on your HTML page that share a common tag type.

What is CSS Type Selector?

A type selector's basic syntax is straightforward to grasp. Simply employ the tag's name as the selector, followed by the styles intended to target elements of that specific tag. For example, you can use the following CSS code to target all "<p>" (paragraph) elements and change their text color to red:

Example


p {
  color: red;
}

All "<p>" components' color attributes are modified to red using this code. The HTML file's "<p>" elements will be affected.

Utilizing Type Selectors in Combination with Other Selectors:

To pinpoint elements more accurately, type selectors can be combined with other selectors. For example, to customize specific parts using a class, you can merge a type selector with a class selector:

Example


/* Targets all <p> elements with the class "highlight" */
p.highlight {
  background-color: yellow;
}

Only elements with the class "highlight" will display a yellow background.

Descendant Selectors:

Type selectors are capable of being combined with child selectors in order to pinpoint elements that are direct descendants of a specific parent element. For example:

Example


/* Targets <em> elements inside <p> elements */
p em {
  font-style: italic;
}

In this case, the italic text formatting will solely affect "em" elements that are descendants of "<p>" elements.

✅ Selectors and Generated Content:

To format specific conditions or sections of elements, selectors can be employed along with pseudo-classes and pseudo-elements. For example:

Example


/* Targets the first line of every <p> element */
p::first-line {
  font-weight: bold;
}
/* Targets the first <p> element of a container with class "article" */
.article p:first-child {
  margin-top: 0;
}

Importance of Specificity

When combining type selectors with other selectors, it is crucial to take into account the level of specificity. In cases where multiple rules are aimed at the same element, the specificity of the element determines which styles will take precedence. The priority of a selector escalates based on its specificity level. For example, an ID selector (e.g., '#my-element') holds greater specificity compared to a type selector, thereby overriding the styles applied by the latter.

To ensure the efficient application of your styles and avoid accidental clashes, it is essential to grasp the concept of specificity.

In summary, type selectors play a vital role in CSS. They work in conjunction with various selectors, pseudo-classes, and pseudo-elements to create specific styles, allowing you to target elements based on their HTML tag names. By mastering the basics and exploring advanced techniques, CSS type selectors empower you to effectively manage the display of your HTML elements.

How to Use a Universal Selector in CSS?

By employing the universal selector ('*') within CSS, it is possible to select and apply a distinctive style to every single component present on a webpage. This selector has the capability to target all types of elements, encompassing a wide range of HTML elements like "div," "p," "h1," and more. Additionally, it is designed to accommodate any forthcoming elements that may be introduced to the HTML structure in the future.

Just follow these instructions to utilize the universal selector in your CSS code:

✅ Open your CSS file or add the CSS code to your HTML document's "style" tag.
✅ Apply the '*' character as the selection to target every element on the page.
✅ Specify the styles used inside the curly brackets "."

Example

Here is an easy example:

Example


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Universal Selector Example</title>
  <style>
    /* Applying some styles to all elements on the page */
    * {
     
margin: 0;
      padding: 0;
      box-sizing: border-box;
      font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
    }
    /* Specific styles for a certain element (e.g., paragraphs) */
    p {
      color: blue;
      font-size: 16px;
      line-height: 1.5;
    }
    /* Specific styles for a certain element (e.g., headings) */
    h1, h2, h3 {
      color: red;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Hello, I am a Heading</h1>
  <p>This is a paragraph with some text.</p>
  <p>Another paragraph here.</p>
</body>
</html>

The default font family in the example above is set to Arial, sans-serif, and the universal selector '*' establishes several common styles for all elements, including zero margins and padding, the use of the 'box-size: border-box attribute for more predictable sizing, and zero margins and padding. There are additional defined styles for headers ('<h1>', '<h2>', and '<h3>') and paragraphs ('<p>').

Exercise caution when styling all elements with the universal selector as it could lead to unexpected consequences or potentially harm performance.

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What is CSS Type Selector?

Importance of Specificity

How to Use a Universal Selector in CSS?

Example

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