Sass selector-nest() Function

Posted in Sass Tutorial

Updated on Sep 30, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 31 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

The selector-nest() function in Sass is a utility that allows you to programmatically nest one or more selectors within another.

This function is particularly useful when working with dynamic or complex selector structures, enabling you to maintain cleaner and more organized code. Instead of manually nesting selectors, selector-nest() automates the process, reducing the chances of errors and ensuring consistent results.

💡 Syntax

The syntax of the selector-nest() function is as follows:

Syntax

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selector-nest($outer-selector, $inner-selector, ...)

🔢 Parameters

$outer-selector: The main selector that serves as the parent or base for nesting.
$inner-selector: Additional selectors that you want to nest within the outer selector.

↩️ Return Value

The function returns a new selector string with the nested structure based on the provided arguments.

📝 Example Usage

Let's look at some examples to understand how the selector-nest() function works in practice.

📜 Example 1: Basic Nesting

example.scss

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$outer: '.card';
$inner: '.title';

$nested-selector: selector-nest($outer, $inner);

#{$nested-selector} {
  font-size: 24px;
  font-weight: bold;
}

In this example, the selector-nest() function nests the .title selector inside the .card selector, resulting in .card .title. The resulting selector is then used to apply styles.

📜 Example 2: Multiple Nested Selectors

example.scss

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$outer: '.menu';
$inner: '.item', ':hover', '.active';

$nested-selector: selector-nest($outer, $inner);

#{$nested-selector} {
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
}

Here, the selector-nest() function nests multiple selectors inside .menu, producing .menu .item:hover.active. This structure is useful for applying styles based on complex state combinations.

📜 Example 3: Dynamic Selector Nesting

example.scss

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@mixin button-style($button-class) {
  $nested-selector: selector-nest($button-class, '.icon');

  #{$nested-selector} {
    margin-right: 10px;
  }
}

@include button-style('.btn-primary');
@include button-style('.btn-secondary');

This example demonstrates how selector-nest() can be used within a mixin to dynamically generate nested selectors based on the provided class.

🎉 Conclusion

The selector-nest() function in Sass is a powerful tool for creating nested selectors programmatically. It simplifies the process of nesting, especially when dealing with dynamic or complex selector structures. By using selector-nest(), you can write more maintainable and organized Sass code, reducing redundancy and the potential for errors.

Understanding and utilizing the selector-nest() function can significantly improve your workflow, particularly in projects where selector organization and modularity are crucial. Experiment with different nesting scenarios to see how this function can streamline your Sass coding experience.