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What is a CSS selector?
A CSS selector identifies which elements a styling rule applies to. It connects a visual rule to matching parts of a document, such as a kind of element, a named group, or a particular state.
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A local events page may use one visual style for every date label and another for links with keyboard focus. Selectors describe which items match each rule. The appearance still depends on the styling declarations and how competing rules are resolved.
A style rule needs a clear target
A selector describes which elements a CSS rule concerns. A rule for all paragraphs has a different reach from a rule for paragraphs inside one article. The target matters because a visual change can affect more of the page than the immediately visible example.
Selectors can also reflect relationships or states. A link inside navigation and a link receiving keyboard focus describe different questions about the same document. Understanding those questions makes it easier to interpret why a rule applies in one situation and not another.
Discover the logic behind visual choices
Matching elements is a useful link between structure and design. Explore ai code academy as a companion for building your coding foundation and see its current offering on the App Store.