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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Media queries and pseudo-classes solve two different problems. A media query asks about the environment: how wide is the viewport, can the main input device hover, does the user prefer reduced motion? A pseudo-class asks about an element’s state: is it hovered, focused, checked? Use both and a page adapts to the device and to what the visitor is doing. The one rule to keep in mind: hover must never be the only way to reach information or a control.
What a media query does
A media query wraps a set of CSS declarations in a condition. The styles apply only while the condition matches. Width is the most familiar condition in responsive design, but media queries also cover orientation, input capabilities and user preferences (MDN: CSS media queries).
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The syntax combines an optional media type, one or more feature expressions, and logical operators such as and, not and commas for “or” (MDN: Using media queries).
Build mobile-first, then add breakpoints
Write base rules that work in a narrow viewport, then add changes where the content needs more room (MDN: Media query fundamentals).
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/* Base rules work at narrow widths. */
.card-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
/* Add columns when the viewport is wider. */
@media (width >= 40rem) {
.card-grid {
grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr);
}
}The 40rem threshold is an illustration, not a recommended universal breakpoint. Pick breakpoints where your layout starts to look cramped or stretched, not to match particular phone or tablet models.
What a pseudo-class does
A pseudo-class is a colon-prefixed keyword added to a selector. It matches an element only while it is in a certain state or context. Common starter examples are :hover, :active, :focus and :checked (MDN: Pseudo-classes). They let you style these states without JavaScript.
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.button:hover {
background: #174ea6;
}
.button:focus-visible {
outline: 3px solid currentColor;
outline-offset: 3px;
}
input:checked + label {
font-weight: 700;
}:hovermatches an element a pointer is over.:focus-visiblematches a focused element when the browser decides a visible focus indicator should show, typically during keyboard navigation.:checkedmatches a selected checkbox, radio button or option. Here the adjacent-sibling combinator+styles the label that follows it.
Keep focus styling. If you change the default outline, replace it with something equally visible rather than removing it.
Environment versus state at a glance
| Question | Tool | Example |
|---|---|---|
| How big is the viewport? | Media query | @media (width >= 40rem) |
| Can the primary input hover? | Media query | @media (hover: hover) |
| Can any available input hover? | Media query | @media (any-hover: hover) |
| Does the user want less motion? | Media query | @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) |
| Is this element being hovered right now? | Pseudo-class | .link:hover |
| Is this control focused or checked? | Pseudo-class | :focus-visible, :checked |
Combining them: hover styling that respects the device
The two features named “hover” are easy to confuse. :hover matches an element that is currently hovered. @media (hover: hover) tests whether the primary input can conveniently hover, which a mouse usually can and a touchscreen usually cannot (MDN: hover media feature). The any-hover feature asks the same about any available input, not just the primary one.
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.link:hover {
text-decoration-thickness: 0.15em;
}
@media (hover: hover) {
.link:hover {
color: rebeccapurple;
}
}The media condition checks device capability, not the element’s state, so the nested :hover rule is still needed. MDN’s hover reference reports the feature as widely available across browsers since December 2018, but check the live compatibility tables for the browsers you target.
Making hover effects work on mobile
Touchscreens, keyboards and voice control do not necessarily provide convenient hover. So:
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- Don’t hide essential information or actions, such as menus, prices or delete buttons, behind hover alone.
- Treat hover as an enhancement on top of a visible, working default.
- Mirror important hover styling with
:focus-visibleso keyboard users get the same feedback. - Use
@media (hover: hover)to limit purely decorative hover effects to devices that can hover. - Give touch users a tap target, such as a button that toggles content, instead of expecting a hover that never comes.
Adapting to user preferences
User-preference features read system settings. prefers-reduced-motion is a good first one: keep your animation, but tone it down for people who asked for less movement (MDN).
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.card {
transition: transform 300ms ease;
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.card {
transition: none;
}
}Support varies by feature, so test in the browsers your audience uses.
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A quick checklist
- Start with a single-column layout that works at narrow widths.
- Add
@media (width >= …)rules only where content needs them. - Style states with pseudo-classes, and always include
:focus-visible. - Wrap decorative hover effects in
@media (hover: hover). - Respect
prefers-reduced-motion. - Test with a keyboard (Tab key) and on a real touchscreen or device emulation.
Going further
For a broader reference, O’Reilly lists CSS: The Definitive Guide, 5th Edition by Eric Meyer and Estelle Weyl, which covers media queries and pseudo-class selectors (O’Reilly listing). It’s optional; MDN covers everything above for free.
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