Unlock the Power of CSS: Add Interactivity Without JavaScript
When it comes to building interactive UI components, many developers immediately reach for JavaScript. However, CSS can also be used to add interactivity to your components, reducing the need for additional dependencies. In this article, we’ll explore some clever patterns for adding interactivity with just CSS.
Establishing Relationships Between Elements
In HTML, we can create relationships between elements using the id attribute and the href attribute in an <a> tag. For example, when we click on a link, the page will automatically jump to the paragraph with the matching id. We can then use the :target pseudo-class to modify styles or add additional styles when the element is in focus.
CSS-Only Modal/Dialog
Using the :target pseudo-class, we can create a modal/dialog that appears when a link is clicked. Here’s a simplified example of the HTML and CSS:
Lightbox-Style Image Viewer
We can also use the :target pseudo-class to create a lightbox-style image viewer. However, note that both images are loaded at all times. To resolve this, we can use JavaScript to load the larger image only when the thumbnail is clicked.
Radio Button-Controlled UI Components
Radio buttons can be used to create UI components that work on the principle of only one section being selected at a time, such as tabs and accordions. Since these components are radio buttons, users can navigate them with arrow keys without any extra setup.
Dynamic CSS-Only Tooltip
With the attr() CSS function, we can define content in our HTML markup using any custom property and then fetch the value. This allows us to create tooltips with dynamic content.
More Examples and Resources
Check out these additional examples of CSS-only UI components, including CSS-only tabs, accordions, and more. Also, don’t miss our other great articles on optimizing application performance, switching between multiple versions of Node, and more.
The Benefits of CSS-Only Interactivity
By using CSS to add interactivity to your UI components, you can reduce the need for JavaScript dependencies and create faster, more efficient applications. So next time you’re building a component, consider how much of it can be achieved with just CSS.