Reasoning behind using double colons in CSS

In the realm of CSS3, a significant change was made with the introduction of the double colon notation. This modification aimed to differentiate between pseudo-classes and pseudo-elements in styling elements [CSS3 selectors spec]. An illustration of this difference is seen in how :active indicates a state using a single colon, while ::after signifies a part of content with a double colon.

An intriguing query arises: What technical consideration led to this discrimination being established? And more importantly, what specific problem does this distinction address?

Answer №1

One may argue that the primary motivation behind having distinct syntax is to avoid conflicts in case a pseudo element shares its name with an existing pseudo class, or vice versa, even though this scenario is highly improbable. This speculation stems from our tendency in the tech industry to overanalyze and excessively design solutions without considering the principle of "You Ain't Gonna Need It", or fearing that our design decisions may be criticized in the future.

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