jQuery .css() Method

Posted in jQuery Tutorial

Updated on May 20, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 15 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 0

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

In web development, styling elements dynamically is a common requirement, and jQuery provides a convenient solution with its .css() method. This method allows you to manipulate CSS properties of HTML elements easily, enabling dynamic changes in appearance and layout.

In this guide, we'll explore the usage of the jQuery .css() method with practical examples to help you leverage its power effectively.

🧠 Understanding .css() Method

The .css() method in jQuery is used to get or set CSS properties for selected elements. It accepts one or two arguments: the CSS property name (or an object of property-value pairs) and an optional value for setting the property.

💡 Syntax

The syntax for the .css() method is straightforward:

syntax.js

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.css(propertyName)
.css(propertyName, value)
.css({propertyName1: value1, propertyName2: value2, ...})

📝 Example

Changing Background Color:

You can change the background color of an element using the .css() method. Here's how you can set the background color of a <div> element to red:
example.js
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```
$("#myDiv").css("background-color", "red");
```
Setting Multiple CSS Properties:

You can set multiple CSS properties at once using an object as an argument. For instance, let's change the font size and color of a <p> element:
example.js
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```
$("p").css({
  "font-size": "16px",
  "color": "blue"
});
```
Getting the Value of a CSS Property:

You can also use the .css() method to retrieve the value of a CSS property. For example, to get the current width of an element:
example.js
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```
var width = $("#myElement").css("width");
console.log("Width: " + width);
```
Animating CSS Properties:

jQuery allows you to animate CSS properties smoothly using the .css() method in conjunction with .animate(). Here's an example of animating the width of an element:
example.js
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```
$("#myElement").animate({ 
  width: "300px"
}, 1000);
```
This will animate the width of #myElement to 300 pixels over a duration of 1 second.
Using CSS Classes for Styling:

While the .css() method is useful for dynamic changes, it's often better to define styles in CSS classes and toggle those classes using jQuery's .addClass() and .removeClass() methods for better maintainability and performance.

🎉 Conclusion

The jQuery .css() method is a versatile tool for dynamically styling HTML elements. Whether you need to change individual properties, set multiple properties at once, retrieve property values, or even animate properties, this method provides a straightforward and efficient solution.

By mastering its usage, you can create visually appealing and interactive web pages with ease.