Defining link styles in sequence using LVHA can avoid overwriting problems. The specific steps are: 1. First set the basic styles of: link (not accessed) and: visited (visited); 2. Then add transition effects and underscores through:hover; 3. Use:active (activate) to achieve click sinking or background changes; 4. Pay attention to the need to optimize the touch feedback of: active on the mobile terminal. At the same time, make sure that the color of the visited link has sufficient contrast and keep the overall style simple and unified.

Adding different state styles to links is a very basic but easily overlooked part of web design. Use the pseudo-classes such as :link , :visited , :hover , and :active , which not only improves the user experience, but also makes the interface look more professional.

Basic order to remember: LVHA

When writing pseudo-classes with link styles, the order is important. It is recommended to use LVHA order to write:

• :link (not visited)
• :visited (visited)
• :hover (mouse hover)
• :active (Active status)

This is written to avoid the problem of style being overwritten. For example, if you put :hover behind :visited , some browsers may cause the color of :visited to cover the effect of :hover due to priority issues.

 a:link {
  color: blue;
}
a: visited {
  color: purple;
}
a:hover {
  color: red;
}
a:active {
  color: orange;
}

The mouse hover and click status should be obvious

To let the user know that they are operating with a clickable element, hover and active states should have obvious visual feedback. Common practices include changing the color, underline, background color changes, or slight zoom.

You can do this:

• Add a transition effect to :hover to make the color change softer.
• Let the link "sink" a little while in :active , such as using transform: translateY(1px) .
• Adding background color or border to the link can also enhance the sense of interaction.

 a:hover {
  color: #e60000;
  text-decoration: underline;
  transition: color 0.3s ease;
}

a:active {
  transform: translateY(1px);
}

Be careful not to show off your skills too much. It is more important to maintain simplicity and consistency.

The color of the visited link should not be too difficult to distinguish

:visited is to let users know if they have clicked this link. But sometimes designers ignore this point and set a color that is not much different from :link , or simply don't use this pseudo-class.

suggestion:

• Use colors that are sufficiently contrasted but not too dazzling, such as purple.
• Don't remove :visited completely, this is helpful for the user experience.
• It can be combined with font styles, such as italics, but it is not necessary.

Some browsers limit the style modification ability of :visited for privacy reasons, so don't rely too much on it to achieve all visual changes.

Don't forget the mobile terminal when active

:active is not only suitable for mouse clicks, but also can take effect on the touch screen. But on mobile devices, additional processing may be required to make it behave more naturally.

Some tips:

• Use touchstart to trigger the active style (via JS or CSS trick) on mobile.
• Keep :active style simple and intuitive, such as darker colors or changes in background.
• Don't use too complicated animations, otherwise it will affect performance.

You can try this too:

 a:active {
  background-color: #f0f0f0;
}

This will give users instant feedback when clicking on the link, improving the interactive experience.

Basically that's it. Making good use of these four pseudo-categories can make your website links more layered and friendly. Although it doesn't seem complicated, if details are ignored, it can easily affect the overall experience.

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