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What is Advanced CSS and What do you Need to Learn?

Last Updated : 15 Apr, 2025
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Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is the coding language used in web development. It helps developers make HTML elements look cool and interesting on web pages. While basic CSS covers key elements such as color, fonts, and layout, advanced CSS takes styling to the next level, presenting high-tech tools and techniques to create responsive, dynamic, and visually complex web designs. This article explores what advanced CSS consists of and outlines the key concepts and skills you have to master to become an expert in it.

What-Is-Advanced-CSS-And-What-Do-You-Need-To-Learn-copy

What is Advanced CSS?

Advanced CSS specifies to use of complex methods like Flexbox, Grid layout, animations, and transitions to create complex designs and better user experience on web pages. It contains mastery of selectors, positioning, and styling methods beyond essential CSS, uplifting progressive layouts, and interactive elements for modern websites.

Why is There a Need to Learn Advanced CSS?

Learning advanced CSS is requisite for many reasons, mainly if you aim to create high-quality, responsive, and visually tempting web applications. Here are some key reasons to inspect into advanced CSS:

Enhanced Design Skills

Advanced CSS permits you to applies complex designs that are view-wise spectacular and rare. With skills in advanced CSS, you can make high-tech layouts, animations, and transitions that enhance user experience and participation.

Bettered Performance

Advanced CSS methods can help you optimize the execution of your website. For occurrence, using CSS for animations instep of JavaScript can lead to smoother and more productive performance. Furthermore, understanding how to minimize and optimize CSS can trim load times and upgrade generally site speed.

Cross-Browser Adaptability

Advanced CSS knowledge contains understanding how to deal with cross-browser issues. This validates that your website looks and functions correctly across varied browsers, giving a stable experience for all users.

Integration with Modern Frameworks

Modern front-end frameworks and libraries, such as React.js, Vue.js, and Angular.js, often trust on advanced CSS techniques. Understanding CSS deeply assists you to better integrate styling with these frameworks and take full advantage of their skills.

Key Components of Advanced CSS

CSS Grid Layout

CSS Grid Layout is a dynamic tool for making two-dimensional layouts. Unlike Flexbox, which is one-dimensional, Grid enables for the design of complex layouts with rows and columns. Learning Grid covers understanding grid containers, grid items, and the several properties like 'grid-template-rows' , 'grid-template-columns' , 'grid-area' , and more.

Uses:

  • CSS Grid Layout is idealized for separating a webpage into columns and rows. You can effectively characterize the number of columns and rows you need and put components well.
  • CSS Grid Layout is incredible for sorting card components in a flexible grid. This is normally used in blog layouts, image galleries, or product listings.
  • Applying named grid areas beside with media queries permits for more powerful responsive designs. You can explain different grid templates for various screen sizes and realign grid items consequently.

Syntax:

.class {
      display: grid;
}

Example: This example shows the CSS grid layout.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>
        gfg
    </title>
    <style>
        .main {
            display: grid;
            grid: auto auto / auto auto auto auto;
            grid-gap: 10px;
            background-color: green;
            padding: 10px;
        }

        .gfg {
            background-color: lightgrey;
            text-align: center;
            padding: 20px 0;
            font-size: 35px;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h1>Welcome to GFG </h1>
    <h3>In this tutorial, we explore the CSS Grid property</h3>

    <div class="main">
        <div class="gfg">1</div>
        <div class="gfg">2</div>
        <div class="gfg">3</div>
        <div class="gfg">4</div>
        <div class="gfg">5</div>
        <div class="gfg">6</div>
        <div class="gfg">7</div>
        <div class="gfg">8</div>
    </div>
</body>

</html>

Output:

css-grid

Flexbox

Flexbox is used for designing one-dimensional layouts. It is primarily convenient for creating flexible and responsive layouts. Key beliefs consist of the flex container, flex items, and properties like 'justify-content' , 'align-items' , 'flex-direction' , and 'flex-wrap' .

Uses:

  • Flexbox permits for easy centering, alignment, and distribution of items within a container, making it ideal for responsive designs.
  • Flexbox can be nested enclosed different flex containers, consenting for even more complex layouts. This is efficient for creating nested grids, responsive components, or any other design that entails many steps of layout control.

Example: This example shows the use of Flexbox.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        .flex-container {
            display: flex;
            background-color: #2eb552;
        }

        .flex-container div {
            background-color: #e0e4e1;
            margin: 10px;
            padding: 10px;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h2>GeeksforGeeks</h2>
    <h4> Flexbox Example</h4>
    <div class="flex-container">
        <div>Item1</div>
        <div>Item2</div>
        <div>Item3</div>
        <div>Item4</div>
    </div>
</body>

</html>

Output:

flexbox

CSS Variables

CSS Variables permit for the storage of values that can be reutilized everywhere a stylesheet. They make it lighter to control themes and maintain large stylesheets. Variables are defined using the '--variable-name' syntax and accessed using the 'var(--variable-name)' function.

Uses:

  • CSS variables support easy theme switching without the need for multiple style sheets.
  • Adjust layout dynamically with viewport-based calculations.
  • Define and use custom breakpoints with CSS variables for better readability and maintainability.

Syntax:

var( --custom-name, value );

Example: This example illustrate the use of the CSS Variables.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        :root {
            --bg-color: green;
            --txt-color: white;
        }


        body {
            background-color: var(--bg-color);
        }

        h1 {
            color: var(--txt-color);
        }

        div {
            color: var(--txt-color);
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h1>Welcome To GFG</h1>
    <div> CSS Variables - GeeksforGeeks </div>
</body>

</html>

Output:

CSS-variables

Responsive Design with Media Queries

Media queries are key because they help to make responsive designs that modify to distinct screen sizes and devices. Grasping advanced media query techniques includes understanding breakpoints, combining multiple conditions, and making use of new units like 'vh' , 'vw' , and 'vmin' .

Uses:

  • Media queries permit to change the layout of a webpage based on the screen size of the device. This supports that context is shown perfectly on separate devices, from vast desktop monitors to small mobile screens.
  • Media queries can be used to show or hide content based on the device's characteristics. This is useful for perfecting the user experience by displaying only adequate update.
  • You can use media queries to provide high-accuracy images or other media to devices with high-density screens (e.g., Retina displays).

Syntax:

@media only screen and (/*condition goes here */) {
    body {
        /* Code content */
    }
  }

Example: This example demonstrate the use of the CSS Media query.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>GfG</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>

<body>
    <h1>Welcome To GeeksforGeeks</h1>
    <p>Resize the browser window to see the effect.</p>
</body>

</html>
CSS 
/* Default styles */
body {
    background-color: rgb(5, 245, 145);
    font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
    text-align: center;
    color: white;
    padding: 20px;
}

/* Media query for screens larger than 600px */
@media (min-width: 600px) {
    body {
        background-color: green;
    }
}

/* Media query for screens larger than 900px */
@media (min-width: 900px) {
    body {
        background-color: rgb(32, 211, 22);
    }
}

Output:

media-queries

Animations and Transitions

CSS animations and transitions make websites more fun to use and giving them a lively vibe. Key notions cover @keyframes for describing animation sequences, and properties like animation-name, animation-duration, transition-property, and transition-duration.

Preprocessors

CSS preprocessors like Sass and LESS add programming proficiencies to CSS, like variables, nested rules, functions, and mixins. They support in writing more well-ordered and supportable stylesheets.

Uses:

  • Preprocessors enable to define variables to store values such as colors, font sizes, or spacing.
  • It permits to nest CSS selectors within one another, which can develop readability and decrease recurrence in code.
  • It helps several mathematical and logical operators, building it fewer difficult to implement calculations or use conditional styles built on certain terms.

Advanced Selectors

Understanding advanced CSS selectors is vital for focusing exact elements without adding extra classes or IDs. This includes pseudo-elements (::before, ::after) and pseudo-classes (:nth-child, :not, :hover) .

Example: This example shows the use of advance selector.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>GFG</title>
    <style type="text/css">
        ul+h3 {
            border: 4px solid rgb(6, 143, 49);
        }
    </style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>GeeksForGeeks</h1>
    <ul>
        <li>Item 1</li>
        <li>Item 2</li>
        <li>Item 3</li>
    </ul>
    <h3>Advanced Selectors Example</h3>
</body>
</html>

Output:

selectors

CSS pseudo-classes

CSS pseudo-classes are particular keywords added to selectors that clarify a special state of the selected elements. They permit to apply styles to elements based on their state or position in the document tree, without combining more classes or IDs to the HTML.

Syntax:

selector: pseudo-class {  
  property: value;  
}

Some commonly used pseudo-classes, along with an example:

:active Pseudo-class

This pseudo-class uses styles when an element is being activated, such as when a button is being clicked.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>GFG</title>
  <style>   
    body{  
    text-align:center;  
    }  
    a:active{   
        color: yellow;   
    }   
    h1, h2, h3{   
        color:green; ;   
    }   
    </style>  
</head>
<body>  
    <h2>Welcome To GeeksforGeeks</h2>   
    <h3>The :active pseudo-class</h3>  
    <a href="#">Click the link</a>
</body>
</html>

:hover Pseudo-class:

This pseudo-class uses styles when the user hovers over an element with a mouse pointer.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>gfg</title>
   <style>  
         body{  
     text-align:center;  
     }  
     h2:hover{  
     color:red;  
     }  
     h3:hover{  
     color:blue;  
     }  
      </style>  
</head>
<body>
<h2>Welcome to GeeksforGeeks </h2>  
      <h3>:hover Pseudo-class</h3>
</body>
</html>

:focus Pseudo-class:

This pseudo-class uses styles when element has focus, such as when user clicks on an input field.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  
<head>
    <title>GFG</title>
    <style>
        form{
            width: 300px;
            height: 200px;
            margin: 0 auto;
            text-align: center;
            line-height: 2rem;
        }
        
        label{
            width: 30%;
        }
        
        input{
            background-color: default;
            float: right;
        }
        
        input:focus{
            background-color: grey;
        }
        
        h1, h2{
            color: green;
            text-align: center;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h1>Welcome To GeeksForGeeks</h1>
    <h2>:focus Pseudo-class</h2>
    <form>

        <label for="emailid">Email-Id:</label>
        <input type="email" name="emailid" 
               placeholder="Enter your email-id" />

        <label for="Password">Password:</label>
        <input type="password" name="Password" 
               placeholder="Enter your password" />
    </form>
</body>
  
</html>

:active Pseudo-class:

This pseudo-class uses styles when element is being activated, such as when button is being clicked.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>GFG</title>
  <style>   
    body{  
    text-align:center;  
    }  
    a:active{   
        color: rgb(184, 215, 194);   
    }   
     h2, h3{   
        color:green ;   
    }   
    </style>   
</head>
<body>
<h2>Welcome To GFG</h2>
<h3>Click the following link to see the effect</h3>  
    <a href="#">Click the link</a>
</body>
</html>

CSS Pseudo-Elements

CSS pseudo-elements are virtual elements that permit to style definite parts of a HTML element. They are defined by a double colon (::) notation.

Syntax:

selector::pseudo-element {
     property: value;
}

Here are some widely used pseudo-elements:

::first-line Pseudo-element

This pseudo-element allows to style the first line of text within an element. It supports the following CSS properties:

  • Color properties
  • Font properties
  • Background properties

Example: This example shows the use of::first-line pseudo-element.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>gfg</title>
  <style>   
    body{  
    text-align: center;  
    }  
    h2::first-line {   
    font-family: Lucida Calligraphy;  
    font-size: 1cm;  
    color: rgb(33, 74, 4);  
    text-shadow: 5px 8px 9px rgb(148, 205, 148);  
    }   
    </style>   
</head>
<body>
<h2> Welcome to gfg </h2> 
<p>This is an example of ::first-line pseudo-element. </p> 
</body>
</html>


Output:

first-line




::first-letter Pseudo-element

Enables to style the first letter of a block-level element. It can be used only to block-level elements.

Example: This example shows the use of ::first-letter pseudo-element.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>gfg</title>
  <style>   
        body{  
        text-align: center;  
        }  
        h2::first-letter {   
        font-family: Lucida Calligraphy;  
        font-size: 3cm;  
        color: red;  
        text-shadow: 5px 8px 9px green;  
        }   
        h2{  
        color: rgb(9, 96, 19);  
        }  
        </style>  
</head>
<body>
<h2> Welcome to geeksforgeeks </h2> 
<p>This is an example of ::first-letter pseudo-element </p> 
</body>
</html>

Output:

first-letter

::before Pseudo-element

This pseudo-element embeds content earlier the content of the selected element. It is usually used to add decorative content to an element.

Example: This example shows the use of ::before pseudo-element.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>gfg</title>
   <style>   
        body{  
        text-align: center;  
        }  
        h2::before {   
        content: "'Welcome.'";  
        color: red;  
        }   
        </style>
</head>
<body>
<h2>to geeksforgeeks </h2> 
<p>This is an example of ::before pseudo-element </p> 
</body>
</html>

Output:

before

::after Pseudo-element

Like ::before, this pseudo-element inserts content after the content of the selected element.

Example: This example shows the use of ::after pseudo-element.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        body {
            text-align: center;
        }

        h2::after {
            content: "'to geeksforgeeks'";
            color: red;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h2>Welcome </h2>
    <p>This is an example of ::after pseudo-element </p>
</body>

</html>

Output:

after

::marker Pseudo-element

The ::marker Pseudo-element is used to style the marker of a list item.

Example: This example shows the use of ::marker pseudo-element.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">

<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" 
          content="width=device-width,
                   initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        body {
            background-color: whitesmoke;
            color: green;
            text-align: center;
        }

        ul {
            width: 40px;
        }

        ul li::marker {
            color: rgb(212, 255, 0);
            font-size: 30px;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h1>Geeks For Geeks</h1>
    <h2>::marker Pseudo-element</h2>
    <ul>
        <li>React</li>
        <li>Angular</li>
        <li>Vue</li>
    </ul>
</body>

</html>

Output:

marker

CSS Z-Index

The CSS z-index property is applied to handle the layering order of elements on a web page. It is mainly useful while elements traverse each other. To usage the z-index property, the element vital have a positioning context, which means it wants to be positioned using one of the following CSS properties:

  • position: relative
  • position: absolute
  • position: fixed
  • position: sticky

Syntax

selector {
  z-index: value;
}

CSS Minify

CSS minification is the technique of cutting the size of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) files by clearing irrelevant characters such as white spaces, comments, and line breaks. The main target of CSS minification is to boost website execution by decreasing file size, which directs to faster loading times.

Minification commonly requires:

  • Clearing Comments
  • Clearing Whitespace
  • Diminishing Identifiers
  • Mixing Rules

CSS before minification:

CSS 
/* Write CSS Here */
.button {
    display: inline-block;
    padding: 10px 30px;
    font-size: 14px;
    background-color: #3491db;
    color: #fff;
    border: none;
    border-radius: 6px;
    text-decoration: none;
}

/* Styles for a container */
.container {
    width: 100%;
    margin: 0 auto;
    padding: 30px;
    background-color: #f2f2f2;
}


CSS after minification:

.button{display:inline-block;padding:10px 30px;font-size:14px;background-color:#3491db;color:#fff;border:none;border-radius:6px;text-decoration:none}.container{width:100%;margin:0 auto;padding:30px;background-color:#f2f2f2}

CSS User Interface

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) offers a series of properties particularly designed to boost the user interface (UI) of a website. These properties permit developers to design visually attractive, interactive, and accessible user experiences.

CSS User Interface Resize property:

  • Horizontal resize
  • Vertical resize
  • Both (horizontal & vertical) resize

Horizontal resize

The CSS Horizontal resize property is used to resize the width of the element.

Syntax:

resize: horizontal;

Example: This example shows the resize of the div Horizontally.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        div {
            border: 2px solid;
            padding: 20px;
            width: 400px;
            resize: horizontal;
            overflow: auto;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body style="text-align: center;">
    <div style="background: green;">
        <h1 style="color: white;">Welcome to GeeksforGeeks</h1>
        <p style="color: white;"> resize: horizontal property;</p>
    </div>
</body>

</html>

Output:

horizontal

Vertical resize

The CSS Vertical resize property is used to resize the height of the element.

Syntax

resize: vertical;

Example: This example shows the resize of the div vertically.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        div {
            border: 2px solid;
            padding: 20px;
            width: 400px;
            resize: vertical;
            overflow: auto;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body style="text-align: center;">
    <div style="background: green;">
        <h1 style="color: white;">GeeksforGeeks</h1>
        <p style="color: white;"> resize: vertical property;</p>
    </div>
</body>

</html>

Output:

vertical

Both (horizontal & vertical) resize

The CSS Both resize property is used to resize both the height and width of the element.

Syntax:

resize: both;

Example: This example shows the resize of the div.

HTML 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>gfg</title>
    <style>
        div {
            border: 2px solid;
            padding: 20px;
            width: 400px;
            resize: both;
            overflow: auto;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body style="text-align: center;">
    <div style="background: green;">
        <h1 style="color: white;">GeeksforGeeks</h1>
        <p style="color: white;">
          resize: (both horizontal & vertical) property;</p>
    </div>
</body>

</html>

Output:

both

What You Need to Learn

  • Master the Basics: Previously delving into advanced CSS, confirm you have a solid knowledge of simple CSS properties and concepts. Familiarize yourself with the box model, positioning, and basic selectors.
  • Modern Layout Techniques: Learn CSS Grid and Flexbox in-detailed. Practice creating various layouts and get how to combine these techniques for more complex designs.
  • Animate with CSS: Experiment with CSS animations and transitions. Make small projects to get how keyframes work and how transitions can boost user interactions.
  • CSS Architecture: Examine CSS methodologies like BEM, OOCSS, and SMACSS. Learn to structure and organize CSS for big projects..
  • Tooling and Workflow: Familiarize yourself with CSS tools and workflows, containing build tools (Webpack, Gulp), version control (Git), and browser developer tools for debugging and testing.
  • Frameworks and Libraries: Understand the core concepts of popular CSS frameworks and libraries. Follow how to integrate them into your projects and customize them to meet exact needs.

The Benefits of Advanced CSS

  • Create modern, user-friendly websites
  • Enhanced Design Flexibility
  • Support for Modern Design Trends
  • Write cleaner and more efficient code
  • Improved search engine rankings

Conclusion

Advanced CSS is around moving past basic styles to make more modern, productive, and responsive web designs. By mastering techniques such as Grid, Flexbox, animations, preprocessors, and CSS architecture, you can construct complex formats and exceedingly interactive client interfaces. The key to mastering advanced CSS lies in nonstop learning and practice, continuing upgraded with the most recent developments, and experimenting with unused tools and techniques. Even if you are pointing to improve your current skills or trying to shift into a CSS expert, immersing into advanced CSS will essentially refine your web development skills.


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