Pseudo-elements in CSS are powerful tools that allow us to add specific styles to certain parts of content without the need to change the HTML. This method is particularly useful when we want to add additional elements to a webpage or style specific sections of content without altering the original HTML structure.
In practice, pseudo-elements are typically used to create beautiful effects, add content before or after an element, and define specific styles. For example, we can use the pseudo-elements ::before or ::after to add additional content, such as images or icons, before or after an element.
Another frequently used pseudo-element is ::first-line, which allows us to style the first line of a text element specifically.
Using pseudo-elements gives designers and developers the opportunity to create more creative and interactive designs without modifying the HTML, which can greatly simplify management and maintenance of the website.
Below is a simple example of using the ::after pseudo-element that indicates the method of adding content after an HTML element:
p::after {
content: ' - Read';
color: gray;
font-size: 12px;
}
Line-by-Line Explanation
p::after: This style applies to every p element (paragraph) and adds defined content after the main text.content: ' - Read';: This line adds this content after the main element. Here, the text ' - Read' will be displayed after each paragraph.color: gray;: This sets the color of the additional text to gray.font-size: 12px;: This sets the font size of the additional text to 12 pixels.