Ever waste way too much time trying to target the right element?

Selectors are the backbone of CSS, but even pros get tripped up by specificity, advanced patterns, or just plain forgetting the right syntax.

Today, let’s sharpen your selector skills so you can style smarter, not harder.

🧭 Essential Selectors Every Dev Should Know

1. Attribute Selector

input[type="email"] {
  border: 2px solid #43a047;
}

Target elements based on attributes for precise styling.

2. :not() Pseudo-Class

li:not(.active) {
  opacity: 0.5;
}

Style everything except what you want to exclude.

3. Child & Sibling Combinators

ul > li {
  font-weight: bold;
}
h2 + p {
  margin-top: 0;
}

Control relationships between elements for cleaner code.

💡 Quick Tips

  • Combine selectors for powerful targeting: .menu li:not(.disabled) > a
  • Watch out for specificity wars! Inline styles and IDs will override your best efforts.

🚀 What’s Your Selector Struggle?

Drop your trickiest selector question or tip in the comments!

Tomorrow: We’ll tackle responsive layouts and make your designs bulletproof on any device.

Want all the best selectors and more in one place? Stay tuned for Day 3, or check out the full CSS Survival Kit now for just $5.