How Can I Style All But the First Child Element Using CSS?

Styling Elements Except the First: Exploring the CSS "not:first-child" Selector

In CSS styling, the "not:first-child" selector allows you to target all elements except the first in a particular hierarchy. While it seems straightforward, applying this selector in specific scenarios can be challenging.

Applying CSS to Non-First Elements

Let's consider a scenario where you have a "div" tag containing multiple "ul" tags. To set CSS properties for each "ul" tag except the first, the code div ul:not(:first-child) should work. However, if it fails, here are a few reasons:

• Browser Support: The "not:first-child" selector is supported in modern browsers but may not be compatible with legacy browsers.
• Selector Syntax: Ensure that the selector syntax is correct, using a colon (:) before the "first-child" descriptor.

Alternative Approach

If "not:first-child" is not viable, an alternative approach is to first apply the style to all elements and then "revoke" it for the first element. For instance:

div ul {
    background-color: #900;
}

div ul:first-child {
    background-color: transparent;
}

In this example, the first rule applies to all "ul" elements, while the second rule specifically overrides the background color for the first element.

Limiting Scope and Default Values

When limiting the scope using this alternative approach, set the revoked CSS attribute to its default value. This ensures that the original style is only overridden for the first element.

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