CSS element > element Selector

Posted in CSS Tutorial

Updated on Oct 27, 2024

By Mari Selvan

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Photo Credit to CodeToFun

Introduction

The element > element selector in CSS is a child combinator that selects direct children of a specified element.

This selector allows for precise targeting of elements within a hierarchy, enabling more specific styling without affecting deeper nested elements.

Syntax

The signature of the element > element Selector is as follows:

Syntax

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parent > child {
    /* CSS properties */
}

In this syntax, parent is the element you want to target, and child is the direct child element that you want to style.

Example

Here is an example of how to use the element > element selector in CSS:

HTML

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>CSS element > element Selector Example</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
    <div class="container">
        <h1>Main Title</h1>
        <div class="content">
            <p>This is a paragraph within a nested div.</p>
            <div class="inner">
                <p>This is a nested paragraph.</p>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</body>
</html>

CSS

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/* Style for direct child elements of .container */
.container > h1 {
  color: blue;
  font-size: 24px;
}

.container > .content {
  background-color: #f0f8ff;
  padding: 10px;
}

/* This will not apply to nested paragraphs */
.content > p {
  color: green;
}

In this example:

The <h1> element directly within the .container will be styled with a blue color and a font size of 24 pixels.
The .content div, being a direct child of .container, receives a light blue background.
The paragraph inside .content is styled green, but the nested paragraph inside .inner remains unaffected.

Usage Tips

Use the child combinator to apply styles only to direct children, preventing unintended styles from cascading to deeper nested elements.
Combine this selector with other selectors for more complex styling scenarios. For instance, you can target specific child elements based on their type or class.

Common Pitfalls

Remember that the child combinator > only selects direct children, so styles won't apply to elements that are further nested.
Ensure that the specified parent and child elements are correctly defined; otherwise, the selector won't match any elements.

Conclusion

The element > element selector is an essential tool in CSS for managing element styles within a hierarchy.

By utilizing this selector, you can ensure that your styles are applied precisely where intended, leading to cleaner and more maintainable code. Mastering the use of child combinators contributes to a well-structured CSS design.