Introduction to Anchor Tag Link Pseudo Class

Anchor tags, also known as hyperlinks, are used to establish a connection between a document and another resource, such as a web page or an image. Anchor tags, like many other HTML elements, can be styled using CSS. One way to style anchor tags is through the use of pseudo-classes. Pseudo-classes are used to specify a specific state or condition of an element, such as when it is being hovered over or when it has been clicked.

The most common pseudo-classes used for styling anchor tags are :hover, :active, and :visited.

:hover Pseudo Class

The :hover pseudo-class is used to apply styles to an anchor tag when the user hovers over it with the mouse. This can be useful to indicate to the user that the link is interactive and can be clicked. Here is an example of how to use the :hover pseudo-class:

a:hover {
  color: red;
  text-decoration: underline;
}

In this example, the text color of the anchor tag will change to red and the text will be underlined when the user hovers over it.

:active Pseudo Class

The :active pseudo-class is used to apply styles to an anchor tag when it is clicked. This can be useful to provide immediate feedback to the user when they click a link. Here is an example of how to use the :active pseudo-class:

a:active {
  color: green;
  text-decoration: none;
}

In this example, the text color of the anchor tag will change to green and the text decoration will be removed when the user clicks on it.

:visited Pseudo Class

The :visited pseudo-class is used to apply styles to an anchor tag after it has been visited by the user. This can be useful to keep track of which links the user has already visited. Here is an example of how to use the :visited pseudo-class:

a:visited {
  color: purple;
}

In this example, the text color of the anchor tag will change to purple after the user has visited the link.

Conclusion

Anchor tags are a fundamental element of web development, and being able to style them using CSS can make your web pages more visually appealing and user-friendly. By using the :hover, :active, and :visited pseudo-classes, you can create a professional-looking website with ease.