I’m looking to clarify my understanding of CSS class selectors, particularly regarding the impact of spaces between class names. I’ve been trying out various examples to see how they select elements, but there are some details that are unclear to me.
<div class="container layout">Sample text
<div class="layout">
Additional sample text
</div>
</div>
.container {
background-color: green;
}
/* First example */
.container.layout {
font-size: 20px;
}
/* Second example */
.container .layout {
font-size: 20px;
}
In the first example, the two class selectors are combined without any space, whereas, in the second one, there is a space present. Can someone explain how these two examples behave differently? I’d like to ensure I comprehend the proper syntax for my website.
Understanding CSS specificity is crucial for effective styling. When you use .container.layout, it targets elements that possess both classes simultaneously, hence it would apply styles to the outer div only. In contrast, .container .layout signifies that you’re selecting an element with the ‘layout’ class that resides within an element having the ‘container’ class. This distinction is vital, as the space indicates a parent-child relationship, impacting how styles apply, especially in intricate layouts.
This is a huge difference in CSS selectors. .container.layout (no space) targets elements that have BOTH classes at once - so it’d only hit your outer div since it has both ‘container’ and ‘layout’ classes. But .container .layout (with space) is a descendant selector - it grabs any element with ‘layout’ class that’s inside a ‘container’ element. That’d target your inner div. I’ve screwed this up so many times building responsive layouts, especially with nested components. Just remember: no space = ‘and’, space = ‘descendant of’.
totally get what ur saying! the space is key. without it, ur saying the same ele has both classes, while with it, ur going for a ‘child’ eele within a parent. real easy to mess up when coding quickly, haha. gl with ur site!