Why does CSS work with "made-up" elements?

Understanding the Functionality of CSS with Fake Elements

In the realm of web development, CSS plays a crucial role in styling and presenting web pages. While CSS is primarily designed to work with standard HTML elements, an intriguing question arises: why does it also work with fictitious or "made-up" elements?

Unveiling the Hidden Functionality

Most web browsers are engineered to anticipate and support future additions to HTML. This means that even unrecognized elements, such as those created for experimental purposes or personal projects, are parsed into the DOM. These elements, however, lack inherent semantics or predefined rendering behavior.

Upon the introduction of new elements into the HTML specification, CSS, JavaScript, and ARIA can often be leveraged to provide similar functionality in legacy browsers. By incorporating these elements into the DOM, these technologies can manipulate them and simulate the desired behavior. Notably, the custom elements specification provides specific guidelines for creating and managing non-standard elements, but they require JavaScript integration and adherence to naming conventions.

Exploring Your Professor's Perspective

Despite the apparent functionality of made-up elements, your professor has recommended avoiding their use for several reasons:

• Violation of HTML Standards: "Imsocool" and other user-defined elements are not part of the official HTML specification.
• Potential Conflicts: In the future, standard HTML elements with similar names may be introduced, causing conflicts in styling and rendering.
• Better Alternatives: Typically, there are existing HTML elements that can fulfill the same purpose, ensuring compatibility and adherence to best practices.

Uncommon Nature of Made-Up Elements

Your professor's lack of familiarity with made-up elements is not uncommon. Many developers are unaware of this obscure technique due to its limited practical application. As stated above, the use of standard HTML elements is widely recommended for maintaining interoperability and consistency across web browsers.

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