CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) has forever transformed the way web developers design websites. By enabling them to separate style from content, CSS ensures that websites remain visually appealing and user-friendly.
One of the fundamental aspects of mastering CSS is understanding selectors. Among them, the ability to select all elements can be both powerful and time-saving. In this guide, we will delve deep into how to select all elements in CSS.
Table of Contents
The Universal Selector
The asterisk *, which stands for the universal selector, is the easiest way to select all elements on a web page. When you use this selector, every single element gets targeted.
* {
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
}
The above code will set the margin and padding of all elements on the page to 0. This is particularly useful for CSS resets, where you want to eliminate browser-default styles.
Specificity and the Universal Selector
While the universal selector is a powerful tool, it’s important to note its low specificity. It means that if you have other styles targeting specific elements, they will override the universal selector’s styles.
For a deeper dive into specificity and selector intricacies, check out CSS :Is() Pseudo Class Example.
Beyond Universal: Combining Selectors
The beauty of CSS lies in its flexibility. By combining the universal selector with other selectors, you can achieve more complex selections. For instance, if you want to style all elements within a specific div, you’d combine the div selector with the universal selector:
div * {
color: blue;
}
For those who want to experiment further with layout designs and grid systems, don’t miss these 13 Cool Simple CSS Grid Layout Examples.
FAQs on How to Select All Elements in CSS
How do you select all elements inside a div element in CSS?
Use the selector div *. This will select all elements nested inside a div, no matter how deeply they are nested.
How do I select everything except one element in CSS?
You can use the :not() pseudo-class. For instance, *:not(p) will select all elements except for p elements.
How do I select all divs?
Simply use the div selector. This will target every div element on the page.
What is the universal selector in CSS?
The asterisk (*) stands for the universal selector. It targets all elements on a web page.
How do I select all sibling elements in CSS?
You can use the general sibling combinator ~. For instance, p ~ div will select all div elements that are siblings following a p element.
How do I select all elements except the first child in CSS?
Use the :not() pseudo-class in combination with the :first-child pseudo-class. Example: *:not(:first-child) will select all elements except the first child of their parent.
For more intricate styling and design techniques, especially for dialogs and modals, explore these 30 CSS Dialogs.
How do you select all elements with a child in CSS?
To select all elements with a child in CSS, you can use the child selector. The “>” symbol separates two or more selectors that make up the child selector. The first selector is the parent element, and the second selector is the child element.
For example, the following CSS rule will select all paragraphs that have an image child element:p > img { background-color: red; }This rule will also select paragraphs that have multiple image child elements.
You can also use the child selector to select all child elements recursively. To do this, you can use the space character between the parent element and the wildcard selector (*). The wildcard selector matches any element.
For example, the following CSS rule will select all child elements of the div element recursively:div * { background-color: red; }This rule will select all child elements of the div element, regardless of how deeply nested they are.
Conclusion CSS is an ever-evolving language, that offers immense possibilities. By understanding selectors and how to effectively target elements, you unlock a new realm of web design capabilities. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned developer, there’s always something new to learn in the world of CSS. Keep experimenting, keep learning, and keep creating!
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