Pseudo-element selectors change the appearance of an element fragment: the first line of a paragraph, a highlighted section of text, or the backdrop of a page in fullscreen or dialog or display mode.

This reading list is not yet exhaustive: pseudo-element selectors like ::before and ::after are used extensively in articles here, but do not yet have their own individual entries. That will change in very short order.

Many of these pseudo-selectors have specialized uses: ::first-letter and ::first-line are strongly associated with typography, for example, so you’ll tend to find discussion of those selectors in their respective contexts.

1. Introduction
2. ::first-letter
3. ::first-line
4. ::selection
5. ::backdrop

Image from Meyer-Optik Goerlitz's recent campaign to bring back the excellent Trioplan 100mm F/2.0 lens

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