How do you target the first letter of a text element using a pseudo-selector in CSS?
Interviewer Expectations for this Question
01
Core Competency
Assesses fundamental understanding of HTML & CSS conventions, runtime behavior, and memory/performance considerations.
02
Evaluation Criteria
Hiring managers look for precision, avoidance of ambiguous jargon, and ability to explain trade-offs under real production conditions.
Comprehensive Model Answer
Verified Solution
You target the initial character of a block-level text element using the ::first-letter pseudo-element, commonly used to create decorative editorial drop caps:
.article-intro::first-letter {
font-size: 3.5rem;
font-weight: bold;
float: left;
line-height: 0.8;
margin-right: 0.5rem;
color: #1e293b;
}
*Applicability:* ::first-letter applies only to block containers (such as p, div, article), not to inline elements (span).
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