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How to style the active link in a navigation menu with HTML and CSS?
To set the style of the current link in the navigation menu, the most direct way is to add a specific class name (such as class="active") to the link corresponding to the current page, and then define the style of the class in CSS; you can also automatically identify the current page and add the class name in a dynamic website through JavaScript to achieve a highlighting effect; at the same time, you should pay attention to path matching, style coordination and accessibility issues. The specific steps are as follows: 1. Manually add an active class to the current link in HTML; 2. Define .active styles in CSS; 3. Dynamic websites can automatically detect URLs through JavaScript and add active classes to matching links; 4. Pay attention to path parameter matching, visual coordination and barrier-free support, such as adding the aria-current="page" attribute.
Setting the style of the current link in the navigation menu is a common requirement in web design. By default, all links may look the same, but with some simple HTML and CSS techniques, we can make the links of the "current page" highlighted, helping users know more clearly where they are.
Add a special class name to the current link
The most direct way is to add a specific class (such as class="active" ) to the link corresponding to the current page in HTML. This way you can style this class specifically in CSS.
HTML example:
<nav>
<ul>
<li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="/about" class="active">About us</a></li>
<li><a href="/contact">Contact us</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>CSS example:
.active {
color: red;
font-weight: bold;
}This method is simple and effective and is suitable for static websites or manually maintained pages.
Pseudo-class selector using CSS (not recommended for actual current page)
You can try to change the link style using pseudo-classes such as :active or :hover , but it should be noted that: :active is a temporary state when clicking and is not suitable for identifying the "current page".
If you just want to change the style when the mouse is pressed, you can write it like this:
a:active {
color: blue;
}But this is not the real "current page" highlighting.
Automatic highlighting in dynamic websites (JavaScript method)
If you are using a dynamic website (such as WordPress, React, or Vue), you will usually want the highlighting of the current link to be done automatically. It can be implemented through JavaScript.
For example, check the current URL when the page loads and add an active class to the matching link:
document.querySelectorAll('nav a').forEach(link => {
if (link.href === window.location.href) {
link.classList.add('active');
}
});This way, even if the page content changes, the current page can be automatically identified and the correct style can be applied.
Don't ignore small details
- Pay attention to the path matching problem : Sometimes the page URL may have parameters (such as
/products?id=1), so you need to make more accurate judgments. - Maintain the unity of styles : active styles should be coordinated with other link styles, and should not be too abrupt.
- SEO and accessibility : Although the current page is visually highlighted, you can also consider adding
aria-current="page"attribute to enhance the accessibility experience.
<a href="/about" class="active" aria-current="page">About us</a>
Basically these are the methods. Which method you choose depends on your project type and complexity. It is enough to use class names for static websites. It is recommended to process dynamic websites automatically in combination with JS, which is more worry-free and more professional.
The above is the detailed content of How to style the active link in a navigation menu with HTML and CSS?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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