Tutorials


CSS :nth-child(n) property


The :nth-child(n) pseudo-class in CSS is used to style elements based on their position within their parent. It allows you to select elements that match a specific pattern, making it a powerful tool for applying styles to elements based on their index.

Syntax

selector:nth-child(n) {
  /* styles */
}
  • selector: The element or elements you want to target.
  • :nth-child(n): The pseudo-class selects elements based on their position in the parent element.

How It Works

  1. Basic Usage:

    • The n in :nth-child(n) can be a specific number, a keyword, or a formula. It allows you to select elements based on their numerical position among siblings.
    ul li:nth-child(2) {
  color: red;
}
    • In this example, the second <li> element within each <ul> will be styled with red text.

  2. Using Formulas:

    • The :nth-child(n) pseudo-class can also use formulas to target elements in a repeating pattern. The formula is an + b, where a and b are integers, and n is a counter starting from 0.
    div p:nth-child(2n) {
  background-color: yellow;
}
    • This example applies a yellow background to every even <p> element within a <div>, where 2n means every second child starting from the second.

  3. Special Keywords:

    • You can use keywords with :nth-child to target specific patterns.

    • odd: Selects all odd-numbered elements.

      table tr:nth-child(odd) {
  background-color: lightgray;
}

    • even: Selects all even-numbered elements.

      table tr:nth-child(even) {
  background-color: white;
}

Examples

HTML

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>Nth Child Example</title>
  <style>
    ul li:nth-child(1) {
      color: blue;
    }

    ul li:nth-child(3n) {
      color: green;
    }

    p:nth-child(2n) {
      background-color: yellow;
    }

    div p:nth-child(odd) {
      color: red;
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <ul>
    <li>First item</li>
    <li>Second item</li>
    <li>Third item</li>
    <li>Fourth item</li>
    <li>Fifth item</li>
  </ul>

  <div>
    <p>Paragraph 1</p>
    <p>Paragraph 2</p>
    <p>Paragraph 3</p>
  </div>
</body>
</html>

Explanation:

  • ul li:nth-child(1):

    • Styles the first <li> element within each <ul> with blue color.

  • ul li:nth-child(3n):

    • Styles every third <li> element within each <ul> with green color.

  • p:nth-child(2n):

    • Applies a yellow background to every second <p> element within a <div>.

  • div p:nth-child(odd):

    • Styles every odd-numbered <p> element within a <div> with red color.

Important Points

  1. Indexing Starts at 1:

    • The :nth-child(n) pseudo-class uses a 1-based index. So, :nth-child(1) targets the first child, :nth-child(2) targets the second child, and so on.

  2. Only Works with Sibling Elements:

    • The :nth-child pseudo-class only applies to siblings. It does not apply to elements based on their position in nested structures or descendants.

  3. Patterns and Formulas:

    • The formula an + b allows for powerful and flexible styling patterns. For example, 3n + 1 targets every third child, starting with the first.

  4. Use with Other Pseudo-Classes:

    • You can combine :nth-child with other pseudo-classes like :hover or :first-child for more specific styling.
    ul li:nth-child(2n):hover {
  background-color: lightblue;
}
    • This example applies a light blue background to every even <li> element when hovered over.



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