css
  1. css-hover

CSS :hover Selector

  • The :hover selector in CSS is used to select elements that are being hovered over by the mouse.
  • With this selector, we can define how our web page elements behave when they are hovered over.

Syntax

The :hover selector is used as follows:

selector:hover {
  /*CSS property*/
}

Here, selector can be any valid CSS selector, such as a class, ID, or tag name. The CSS property specifies the property that changes when an element is being hovered over.

Example

Let's look at a simple example to illustrate the usage of :hover in CSS:

/* Style for button */
button {
  background-color: blue;
  color: white;
  padding: 8px 16px;
  border: none;
  cursor: pointer;
}

/* Change the background color when hovered */
button:hover {
  background-color: green;
}
Try Playground

In this example, we have defined a simple button style that has a blue background color and white text. When the button is hovered over using the mouse, the background color changes to green using the :hover selector.

Explanation

The :hover selector works by affecting an element’s style when it is actively being hovered over using the mouse. We can use :hover with any CSS property, such as background-color, color, text-decoration, etc. to style the element.

Use

The :hover selector is useful when you want to create interactive web pages and enhance user experience. You can use it in various scenarios, such as changing the color of an element, showing hidden content when hovering over an element, or revealing buttons when hovering over images.

Important Points

The following are some important points of the :hover selector in CSS:

  • The :hover selector only affects elements that can receive hover events, such as anchor tags, buttons, or images.

  • The :hover selector can be used with any CSS property.

  • The :hover selector can be used in combination with other selectors for more specific targeting of elements.

  • The :hover selector only works with mouse devices, not with touch screen devices.

Summary

The :hover selector in CSS is a powerful tool to create interactive and engaging web pages. It is used to define the style of an element when it is actively being hovered over using the mouse. With its many use cases and flexible syntax, the :hover selector is an essential part of CSS styling for web developers.

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