Which rule wins when several match.
✍️ 3 exercises + code challenge in this lessonWhen several rules set the same property on an element, the browser uses specificity to decide which wins. From strongest to weakest:
style="...")#nav).menu, [type], :hover)p, ::before)If two rules have equal specificity, the one written last wins.
!important overrides everything, but it makes CSS hard to maintain. Avoid it except as a last resort.Mastering CSS Specificity helps you write clean and reliable CSS code. Follow standard conventions, test edge cases, and keep logic simple. Try running the code example below and complete the exercises to build confidence.
<style>
p { color: gray; }
.text { color: #2563EB; }
#intro { color: #14B8A6; }
p.text { font-weight: bold; }
</style>
<p>Element selector: gray</p>
<p class="text">Class beats element: blue</p>
<p class="text" id="intro">Id beats class: teal</p>
<p class="text" id="intro" style="color: #E34F26;">Inline beats id: orange</p>Check what you learned in “CSS Specificity”.
An id selector beats a class selector. Write the selector for id "main".
{ color: green; }
.text { color: red; }
Which selector is the most specific?
The paragraph is red because of the id rule. Add a more specific rule (or inline style) so it becomes blue.
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