How Can I Detect Click Events on Pseudo-Elements in HTML?

Detecting Click Events on Pseudo-Elements

In HTML, pseudo-elements extend the styling and visual capabilities of an element without actually being in the DOM tree. This presents a challenge when trying to detect click events specifically on pseudo-elements.

Consider the following HTML and CSS:

<p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet</p>

p {
    position: relative;
    background-color: blue;
}

p:before {
    content: '';
    position: absolute;
    left:100%;
    width: 10px;
    height: 100%;
    background-color: red;
}

In this example, the

element has a red pseudo-element extending beyond its right edge. The goal is to trigger a click event only on the red area and not the blue rectangle.

Solution

Unfortunately, it is not possible to bind events directly to pseudo-elements since they are not part of the DOM tree. A click handler can only be bound to their parent elements.

To achieve the desired functionality, a workaround is required:

• Create a child element, such as a , and place it right after the opening

  tag.

• Apply CSS styles to .p span instead of p:before.
• Bind the click handler to the .p span element.

This approach essentially simulates the behavior of a pseudo-element while allowing for event handling on the specific area of interest.

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