A guide to CSS pseudo-elements

CSS pseudo-elements are an advanced tool for frontend developers, providing additional styling capabilities by acting as sub-elements within HTML elements. Distinguished from pseudo-classes, which change styles based on element states, pseudo-elements like ::before, ::after, ::first-letter, and ::first-line allow for specific content modification and presentation enhancements, such as generated content and typographical effects. Modern CSS syntax uses double colons for these elements, which have expanded to include types like ::marker, ::placeholder, and ::selection, among others. While some pseudo-elements are browser-specific, limiting their practical use in production environments, others are experimental, like those in CSS4, which are still under development. Despite their ability to reduce JavaScript reliance, developers should use pseudo-elements judiciously to maintain lightweight and glitch-free layouts. The article also highlights LogRocket, a tool for monitoring client-side performance and debugging, offering insights into user experiences and application behavior.