in some CSS code I found out this type of selector <pre class="prettyprint"><code>div#someid </code></pre> <ol> <li>Is this formally correct?</li> <li>If the answer to (1) is YES, what's the need for the div selector before the #someid, shouldn't the id be unique in a valid web page?</li> </ol> Thanks!

<ol> <li>Yes it's correct.</li> <li>It might be because it makes the selector more specific. The more specific a selector it is the higher priority it is.</li> </ol>

It is fine. <ul> <li>The stylesheet might be reused between pages which have the id on different elements</li> <li>The explicit type provides information for the maintainer about the element</li> <li>It makes the selector more specific, e.g. to override <code>#other div</code>.</li> </ul>

Why does this CSS ID selector include the element type?

Tags:

css

css-selectors

in some CSS code I found out this type of selector

div#someid

Is this formally correct?
If the answer to (1) is YES, what's the need for the div selector before the #someid, shouldn't the id be unique in a valid web page?

Thanks!

552

asked Mar 11 '10 12:03

Marco Demaio

2 Answers

Yes it's correct.
It might be because it makes the selector more specific. The more specific a selector it is the higher priority it is.

129

answered Oct 21 '22 08:10

Colin Newell

It is fine.

The stylesheet might be reused between pages which have the id on different elements
The explicit type provides information for the maintainer about the element
It makes the selector more specific, e.g. to override #other div.