CSS Specificity Calculator Tool
Enter CSS selectors to calculate their specificity values and understand selector priority.
Kloudbean Zero-Ops Managed Cloud Infrastructure and Hosting
Powerful & Cost-Effective Managed Cloud Hosting for Everyone
Start Free TrialHow to Use the CSS Specificity Calculator
Enter any CSS selector in the input field and click "Calculate Specificity" to see its specificity breakdown. The tool will show you exactly how many inline styles, IDs, classes, and elements contribute to the total specificity score.
Understanding CSS Specificity
CSS Specificity determines which CSS rule is applied by the browser when multiple rules target the same element. It's calculated using a four-part value: inline styles, IDs, classes/attributes/pseudo-classes, and elements/pseudo-elements.
Specificity Hierarchy
The specificity hierarchy from highest to lowest priority:
- Inline styles (style attribute) - 1000 points
- IDs (#myid) - 100 points each
- Classes (.myclass), attributes ([type="text"]), and pseudo-classes (:hover) - 10 points each
- Elements (div, p, a) and pseudo-elements (::before, ::after) - 1 point each
Why Specificity Matters in Development
Understanding CSS specificity helps developers write more maintainable CSS code, debug styling issues, and create predictable cascading stylesheets. It's essential for avoiding the overuse of !important declarations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How is CSS specificity calculated?
Specificity is calculated as a four-part value (a,b,c,d) where 'a' is inline styles, 'b' is IDs, 'c' is classes/attributes/pseudo-classes, and 'd' is elements/pseudo-elements.
Q. What happens when two selectors have the same specificity?
When specificity is equal, the last rule defined in the CSS (cascade order) takes precedence.
Q. Does !important affect specificity?
!important overrides normal specificity rules, but specificity still applies among !important declarations.
Q. Can specificity values be added together?
No, each part of specificity is treated separately. 11 classes don't equal 1 ID - the ID will always win regardless of the number of classes.
Ready to deploy your perfectly styled web projects? Host with Kloudbean Today!
