Why Doesn't `:last-child` Always Select the Last Element of a Specific Type?

:last-child Not Working as Expected: Understanding the Nuances

In CSS, the :last-child selector is intended to target the final child element within a specific parent. However, as highlighted in the given example, this selector can behave unexpectedly when there are other elements present beyond the targeted element.

The :last-child selector will only apply to an element if it is the absolute last element within its parent container. This means that even if an element is the last element of a specific class or type, :last-child will not select it if there are any subsequent non-matching elements.

To elucidate this behavior, consider the following HTML and CSS:

<ul>
    <li class="complete">1</li>
    <li class="complete">2</li>
    <li>3</li>
    <li>4</li>
</ul>

li.complete:last-child {
    background-color: yellow;
}

In this scenario, the :last-child selector will not apply to the final

with the "complete" class because it is not the very last element in the

. Instead, the fourth
• without any class will be considered the last child and will have its background color set to yellow.

  This nuance can lead to confusion, especially when combined with other selectors such as :last-of-type. It is essential to remember that :last-child only targets the very last element in a container, regardless of its class or type.

  To overcome this limitation, alternative selectors like :last-of-type or jQuery methods such as $("li.complete").last() can be employed to target the final element with specific attributes.

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