CSS: What could be causing the element on the right to not be selected?

http://codepen.io/oscholz/pen/qNYPVL

I've been attempting to target only the "Random unattached paragraph."

Despite several attempts using different methods, I haven't had any success in achieving this (see code snippet below).

p:first-of-type {
  color: red;
}
.a:not(.relevant) {
  color: red;
}
.a:nth-child(1) {
  color: red;
}
.a:first-child {
  color: red;
}
<h1>Hi</h1>
<h2 class="important">Hi again</h2>
<p class="a">Random unattached paragraph</p>
<div class="relevant">
  <p class="a">first</p>
  <p class="a">second</p>
  <p>third</p>
  <p>fourth</p>
  <p class="a">fifth</p>
  <p class="a">sixth</p>
  <p>seventh</p>
</div>

None of these methods have produced the desired results. What could I be overlooking? I understand that changing the HTML structure is an option, but I prefer not to do so. :)

Answer №1

The correct solution is body > p

This question serves as a test example in Semmy Purewal's book "Learning Web App Development":

Link to source

In the referenced book, the author guides readers to the answer in the following paragraph:

Further information

Purewal uses this scenario to explain the distinction between CSS descendant and child selectors. With the given HTML structure from the question (included below), the most straightforward response that aligns with the educational objective is deemed correct.

<body>
<h1>Hi</h1>
<h2 class="important">Hi again</h2>
<p class="a">Random unattached paragraph</p>
<div class="relevant">
  <p class="a">first</p>
  <p class="a">second</p>
  <p>third</p>
  <p>fourth</p>
  <p class="a">fifth</p>
  <p class="a">sixth</p>
  <p>seventh</p>
</div>
</body>

Extracted From: Semmy Purewal. “Learning Web Application Development.”

Answer №2

When it comes to selecting elements in HTML, there are numerous strategies you can employ. It is important to first determine the semantic meaning of the elements you wish to target and then create your selector accordingly.

  • body > p.a: This selector would target all p.a elements that are direct children of the body tag, without being nested inside any other containers.
  • .important + p.a: This selector would pick out any p.a elements that immediately follow an element with a class of .important.
  • p.a:nth-of-type(1): This selector would pinpoint the first paragraph tag with the class a.
  • p.a: By using this selector, you can target all p.a elements. If needed, you could further refine the selection by utilizing .relevant p.a to override or undo any styles applied to undesired elements.

It's essential for well-crafted HTML to convey the purpose of each element through context, tag choice, and class or id attributes. If the markup in your document lacks semantic clarity, creating a universal CSS selector to style specific components can become challenging.

Answer №3

body > .a { color: red; }

In this scenario, the CSS would target only the .a element that is not nested inside the .relevant container. Alternatively, you could achieve a similar effect with the following:

.a { color: red; }
.relevant .a { color: black; }

Answer №4

To establish a uniform appearance for all child elements, I recommend setting the default rules in .relevant. Then, apply specific styling to children under the .a class without any complicated methods like hoops, nth selectors, or piping. This approach ensures that unattached <p> elements will have a distinct style compared to those with the .a class.

Answer №5

Experiment with...

main > h1{
    font-weight: bold;  
}

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