CSS's :target pseudo-class is used to match and style target elements in the page based on the URL's fragment identifier (last part). 1. It is often used to highlight the page area that users jump to through anchor links, such as highlighting the target section through background color or border; 2. It can be used for simple tab pages or accordion effects without JavaScript, and control the display and hiding of target elements through display attributes; 3. It can be combined with transition to achieve smooth animation effects when target switching; 4. It only takes effect when the URL fragment matches the element id, and does not affect the browser's default scrolling behavior, and is not supported but elegantly downgraded in old browsers such as IE8 and below.
The CSS :target
pseudo-class is used to style the element that is currently the target of the URL's fragment identifier (the part after the #
). When a user navigates to a URL like example.com#section1
, the element with id="section1"
becomes the target, and you can apply specific styles to it using :target
.

Highlighting the Target Section
One of the most common uses of :target
is to visually highlight the section a user has navigated to. This helps users understand where they are on the page, especially on long pages with anchor links.
For example, you might add a background color or a border to the target element:

section:target { background-color: #f9f9a9; border-left: 4px solid #ccc; padding-left: 10px; }
This makes it clear when a user has jumped to a specific section via a link like <a href="#section2">Section 2</a>
.
Creating Simple Tabs or Accordions Without JavaScript
You can also use :target
to build simple tab interfaces or according-style content toggles without any JavaScript.

Here's how it might work:
- You have several sections, each hidden by default (
display: none
) - When a section is targeted (via its
id
), it becomes visible
.tab { display: none; } .tab:target { display: block; }
With HTML like:
<a href="#tab1">Tab 1</a> <a href="#tab2">Tab 2</a> <div id="tab1" class="tab">Content for Tab 1</div> <div id="tab2" class="tab">Content for Tab 2</div>
Clicking a link will show the corresponding tab while hiding others (assuming you reset styles appropriately).
Smooth Transitions or Effects
You can also enhance the user experience by adding transitions or delays when the target changes.
For example:
section { transition: background-color 1s ease; } section:target { background-color: #ffd; }
This makes the highlight appears smoothly rather than abruptly.
A few things to keep in mind:
-
:target
only works when the URL has a matchingid
on the page - It doesn't change the scroll behavior — the browser still jumps to the element
- It's not supported in very old browsers (like IE8 and below), but degrades gracefully
Final Thoughts
The :target
pseudo-class is a handy tool for enhancing navigation and interactivity without needing JavaScript. Whether you're highlighting sections, building simple UI components, or adding visual feedback, it's a lightweight and effective option. Just remember to test for browser compatibility if you're supporting older environments.
Basically that's it.
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