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Similar to ID selectors, class selectors let us target elements based on their class attribute. The main difference between a class and an ID selector is that IDs are unique and they’re used to identify just one element on the page, whereas a class can be used to classify and target more than one element. This makes classes more flexible than IDs. Let's see how they work.
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Similar to ID selectors,
class selectors let us
0:00
target elements based on their
class attribute. The main difference
0:03
between a class and an ID selector
is that IDs are unique and
0:09
they're used to identify just
one element on the page.
0:13
Whereas a class can be used
to classify and target more
0:18
than one element. This makes
classes more flexible than IDs.
0:23
Let's see how they work.
0:27
Class selectors are defined with
the dot character followed by the
0:30
class name. Let's see what happens
when we change this education ID
0:35
selector to a class selector. To do
that, we'll replace the pound sign
0:41
with a dot. Now our selector is
a class. If we go back and take
0:46
a look in the browser, our red
border is gone. That's because
0:52
class selectors only target elements
with matching class attributes.
0:57
So we'll need to go back
into our HTML file and
1:03
replace the ID attribute
with a class attribute.
1:07
When we save our HTML file and
take a look in the browser,
1:13
we can see how the class
selector is targeting this
1:18
section element and once
again applied the red border.
1:22
Now, you might ask, since
education works fine as a class
1:27
or an ID, which one
should we use?
1:33
Since I'm 100% confident that
the education section is unique,
1:36
I'm going to undo what I just
did and make it an ID again.
1:42
I like to use classes when I know
a selector won't be unique or
1:48
when I'm not sure whether
it will be unique or not.
1:53
Classes let us target more than one
element with the same class name.
1:59
In fact, that's one of the biggest
advantages to using class selectors.
2:05
Multiple elements can
share the same class, so
2:10
we're able to reuse
them throughout a page.
2:13
Remember, we're not allowed
to do that with IDs.
2:16
In the last video, I suggested
that Developer Diane might like to
2:21
highlight some of her front end
web development skills visually.
2:25
Let's create a class in our CSS
that we can use multiple times.
2:30
Then we can apply that class multiple
times in our HTML to highlight
2:50
Developer Diane's HTML, JavaScript,
and mobile web development skills.
2:56
And there you go, multiple
skills are highlighted.
3:15
Now, if you're not in love
with this bold font and
3:21
my choice of a teal background
with papayawhip text, no worries.
3:24
As you get more comfortable
working with CSS selectors,
3:31
you'll be able to create
your own designs.
3:35
Like with IDs, naming the
class is up to you, as long
3:39
as you start with a dot and
follow the same rules as before.
3:43
Don't use spaces and avoid
punctuation other than hyphens
3:48
and underscores. And again, it's
best to apply meaningful names
3:53
that explain the purpose of the
class, as I did with top-skill.
3:58
Thinking back to working with IDs
for a moment, hopefully you'll
4:04
remember that not only must IDs
be unique within your HTML page,
4:08
but that each element can have
only one ID applied to it.
4:13
Classes are different. You can
apply as many classes as
4:18
you want to a single HTML
element. Let's say Developer
4:22
Diane wanted to make the dates
stand out on her resume.
4:27
We'll create a
class called date.
4:31
And I'll apply that class to each
p element in my HTML
4:49
containing a date.
4:53
And look at that, each of
these three dates has a steel
5:16
blue border with rounded
corners. Now, let's say some
5:20
of this information is special
and Diane really wants to
5:24
highlight her grad date from
Treehouse and the dates
5:29
of her current job. We'll
create a class called special.
5:33
And then add that class to
the appropriate places in my HTML.
5:53
To add multiple classes
to the same attribute,
6:09
just separate the class
names by a space.
6:13
And great, it looks like those
two dates are in uppercase
6:19
letters and have a
papayawhip background.
6:23
You can add as many classes
as you want to a single
6:29
element. Just keep
separating them by spaces.
6:33
So then you might ask,
is it possible to add a class and
6:37
an ID to the same
HTML element?
6:42
It is.
6:45
Let's say that Developer Diane is
really proud of her JavaScript skills.
6:46
She might want to create an ID
called proud to show that one off.
6:52
I'll then add another attribute to the
list item where JavaScript is featured.
7:10
Okay, that worked, but
I've created a bit of a
7:31
conflict here. Let's notice
how my top-skill class
7:35
says that my background
should be teal, but the proud
7:44
ID says that the background
color should be firebrick.
7:48
If we look in the browser,
the background is firebrick.
7:53
How did the browser resolve
this CSS conflict? We'll learn
7:58
more about how CSS conflicts
get resolved in a future video.
8:03
But for now, it's worth knowing
that IDs carry more weight
8:08
than classes because they refer
to something very specific.
8:12
So if an element has an ID
and a class applied,
8:17
the styles defined in the ID
selector will always carry more
8:21
weight than the styles defined
in the class selector.
8:26
If we're not careful about
how we use classes and IDs,
8:31
we can end up overriding
styles in class selectors.
8:35
That's why we need to make
sure we don't share the
8:39
same properties between
classes and IDs. I'm going
8:43
to remove the background color
declaration from my proud ID,
8:46
since it's not good practice
having the conflict there.
8:52
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