What Is Link Vs Visited? Css Guide

The distinction between :link and :visited is a fundamental aspect of CSS, particularly when it comes to styling hyperlinks. Understanding the difference between these two pseudo-classes is crucial for creating visually appealing and user-friendly web pages. In this guide, we will delve into the world of CSS and explore the :link and :visited pseudo-classes, their uses, and the implications of using them in your web development projects.

Introduction to :link and :visited

The :link pseudo-class is used to select unvisited links, whereas the :visited pseudo-class is used to select visited links. The primary purpose of these pseudo-classes is to allow developers to apply different styles to links based on their visitation status. For instance, you can use the :link pseudo-class to style unvisited links with a blue color and the :visited pseudo-class to style visited links with a purple color.

:link Pseudo-Class

The :link pseudo-class is used to select links that have not been visited by the user. This pseudo-class is often used in conjunction with the :hover, :active, and :focus pseudo-classes to create a variety of link styles. For example, you can use the :link pseudo-class to set the color of unvisited links to blue and the :hover pseudo-class to set the color of links on hover to red.

Here’s an example of how to use the :link pseudo-class in CSS:

a:link {
  color: blue;
  text-decoration: none;
}

This will set the color of all unvisited links to blue and remove the underline from the links.

:visited Pseudo-Class

The :visited pseudo-class is used to select links that have been visited by the user. This pseudo-class is often used to provide visual feedback to the user, indicating that they have already visited a particular link. For example, you can use the :visited pseudo-class to set the color of visited links to purple.

Here’s an example of how to use the :visited pseudo-class in CSS:

a:visited {
  color: purple;
}

This will set the color of all visited links to purple.

Order of Pseudo-Classes

When using multiple pseudo-classes, it’s crucial to use them in the correct order to avoid unexpected behavior. The general rule of thumb is to use the pseudo-classes in the following order:

1. :link
2. :visited
3. :hover
4. :focus
5. :active

Using the pseudo-classes in this order ensures that the styles are applied correctly and avoids any potential conflicts.

Example Use Case

Here’s an example of how to use the :link and :visited pseudo-classes in conjunction with other pseudo-classes to create a variety of link styles:

a:link {
  color: blue;
  text-decoration: none;
}

a:visited {
  color: purple;
}

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

a:active {
  color: green;
}

This will create a link style that changes color based on the visitation status and hover state of the link.

In conclusion, understanding the difference between the :link and :visited pseudo-classes is essential for creating visually appealing and user-friendly web pages. By using these pseudo-classes in conjunction with other pseudo-classes, you can create a variety of link styles that provide visual feedback to the user and enhance the overall user experience.