CSS class inside a class is a powerful technique that can make your code more organized and efficient. By nesting classes, you can create a hierarchy of styles that's easy to understand and maintain.
This technique is particularly useful when you have multiple elements on a page that share similar styles, but also have some unique characteristics. For example, in the article, we saw how a nested class can be used to style a specific type of button, while still inheriting the styles from its parent class.
By using nested classes, you can avoid duplicating code and make your styles more modular and reusable. As we'll explore in more detail, this technique can also help you create more complex and dynamic layouts.
What is Nesting?
Nesting is a feature in CSS that allows you to define styles for an element within the context of another selector. This means you can create a nested .childclass selector within a .parent class selector.
With nesting, you can create a clear hierarchy of selectors that reflects their HTML structure. This makes it easier to organize and maintain your CSS code.
In SCSS, you can use the & symbol to explicitly signify where the parent class should be placed. This is functionally equivalent to nesting without the & symbol.
Here are the two valid ways to write nested selectors in SCSS:
Using Nesting in SASS
Using Nesting in SASS, you can define styles for an element within the context of another selector. This allows you to create a hierarchical structure in your CSS, making it easier to maintain and update your styles.
The basic idea is to place a selector within another selector, which is known as nesting. This is done by writing the parent selector class name as you would in CSS, followed by the nested tags within the parent.
In SASS, you can use the & symbol to explicitly signify where the parent class should be placed. However, this is not necessary, as the two examples are functionally equivalent.
Nesting can be used to create a descendant combinator, where a child element inherits the styles of its parent. This is achieved by placing the child selector within the parent selector, which will compile to a CSS selector separated by spaces.
For example, if you have a .parent selector and a .child selector, you can nest the .child selector within the .parent selector to create a hierarchical structure.
Here's an example of how this would look in SASS:
`.parent {
// styles for parent
.child {
// styles for child
}
}`
This will compile to the following CSS:
`.parent .child {
// styles for child
}`
This is a basic example of how nesting can be used to create a hierarchical structure in your CSS. By using nesting, you can make your CSS more organized and easier to maintain.
Selectors and Nesting
CSS nesting allows you to define styles for an element within the context of another selector. You can nest a selector within another selector using the syntax of placing the child selector within the parent selector.
The .childclass selector is a great example of this, where it's nested within the .parent class selector. This means the nested .child selector will only apply to elements that are children of elements with a .parent class.
You can also use the & symbol to explicitly signify where the parent class should be placed, which is functionally equivalent to nesting.
Using selectors inside of selectors is another way to nest selectors, just like nestings within an in HTML. This creates a clear hierarchy of selectors reflecting their HTML structure.
The resulting CSS from nesting selectors will receive all the rules assigned outside of the nested selector, and the nested selector will receive the rules assigned within its selector. This means you can see how related elements are styled in one place.
To nest selectors in SCSS, you simply write the parent selector class name as you would in CSS, then write the nested tags within the parent. This flows well because the HTML is structured the same way, with elements nested.
Here's a simple example of nesting selectors in SCSS:
This example shows how to nest the .child selector and its contents within .parent, creating a clear hierarchy of selectors.
Basic SCSS Nesting
Nesting is a powerful tool in CSS that allows you to define styles for an element within the context of another selector. This means you can create complex and specific styles with ease.
The .childclass selector is nested within the .parent class selector, which means the nested .child selector will only apply to elements that are children of elements with a .parent class. This is a fundamental concept in CSS nesting.
To write some basic SCSS nesting, start by writing the parent selector class name as you would in CSS, then write the nested tags within the parent. This is a straightforward process that mirrors the structure of HTML.
You can use the & symbol to explicitly signify where the parent class should be placed, but it's not necessary in this case. The two examples of nesting are functionally equivalent and will produce the same result.
Nesting flows well because the HTML is structured the same way, with elements nested inside each other. This makes it a natural fit for SCSS.
Sources
- nesting (w3.org)
- try in Safari Technical Preview 162 (webkit.org)
- class selector (web.dev)
- compound selector (web.dev)
- descendant selectors (web.dev)
- nesting @rules (w3.org)
- selector list (mozilla.org)
- the spec (w3.org)
- Use nesting with SASS - Produce Maintainable CSS ... (openclassrooms.com)
- CSS Nesting (w3.org)
- & selector (w3.org)
- bug (chromium.org)
- Sass Documentation (sass-lang.com)
- canIuse (caniuse.com)
- html - Target a css class inside another css class (stackoverflow.com)
- SCSS/SASS Nesting, Intelligently. The Optimal Way! (medium.com)
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