This is an experimental technology
Check the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.
The :dir()
CSS pseudo-class matches elements based on the directionality of the text contained in them.
/* Selects any element with right-to-left text */ :dir(rtl) { background-color: red; }
The :dir()
pseudo-class uses only the semantic value of the directionality, i.e., the one defined in the document itself. It doesn't account for styling directionality, i.e., the directionality set by CSS properties such as direction
.
Note: Be aware that the behavior of the :dir()
pseudo-class is not equivalent to the [dir=…]
attribute selectors. The latter match the HTML dir
attribute, and ignore elements that lack it — even if they inherit a direction from their parent. (Similarly, [dir=rtl]
and [dir=ltr]
won't match the auto
value.) In contrast, :dir()
will match the value calculated by the user agent, even if inherited.
Note: In HTML, the direction is determined by the dir
attribute. Other document types may have different methods.
The :dir()
pseudo-class requires one parameter, representing the text directionality you want to target.
ltr
rtl
:dir( ltr | rtl )
<div dir="rtl"> <span>test1</span> <div dir="ltr">test2 <div dir="auto">עִבְרִית</div> </div> </div>
:dir(ltr) { background-color: yellow; } :dir(rtl) { background-color: powderblue; }
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
HTML Living Standard The definition of ':dir(ltr)' in that specification. | Living Standard | No changes. |
Selectors Level 4 The definition of ':dir()' in that specification. | Working Draft | Initial definition. |
Desktop | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari | |
Basic support | No | No | 49
|
No | No | No |
Mobile | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Android webview | Chrome for Android | Edge Mobile | Firefox for Android | Opera for Android | iOS Safari | Samsung Internet | |
Basic support | No | No | No | 49
|
No | No | No |
© 2005–2018 Mozilla Developer Network and individual contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/:dir