How Can I Select Every Nth Element Using CSS's :nth-child() Selector?

Select Every Nth Element with CSS

When dealing with a group of elements, you may want to target every nth element. CSS provides the :nth-child() selector to facilitate this task.

:nth-child(n) allows you to select the nth child element within a parent element. It is possible to specify an nth value as well as perform arithmetical operations like addition, subtraction, and coefficient multiplication.

div:nth-child(4)

This selector will select the fourth div element. However, it requires writing individual selectors for each nth element.

:nth-child(an) significantly simplifies this process. The 'a' represents a coefficient that can be applied to 'n' using arithmetical operations:

div:nth-child(4n)

This selector will select every fourth div element, effectively replacing the need for multiple selectors.

For greater control, arithmetic expressions can be utilized within the selector:

• :nth-child(an b)
• :nth-child(an - b)
• :nth-child(a*n)

Example: To select only div elements, excluding other elements like h1 or p, use :nth-of-type() instead of :nth-child():

body div:nth-of-type(4n)

Note: If n is left out, it defaults to 1, selecting every element.

Difference between 4n and 4n 4:

While both selectors match every fourth div element, there's a subtle difference in their starting point.

• :nth-child(4n) starts counting from 0, so it selects elements at positions 4, 8, 12, etc.
• :nth-child(4n 4) starts counting from 4, so it selects elements at positions 4, 8, 12, etc.

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