CSS Selectors
- Pseudo-elements

Pseudo-classes ::first-letter

The ::first-letter pseudo-element represents the first letter of an element, if it is not preceded by any other content (such as images or inline tables) on its line.

Syntax

selector::first-line{ preperties }

Point, Note

In CSS, the ::first-letter pseudo-element applies to block-like containers such as block, list-item, table-cell, table-caption, and inline-block elements.
In CSS a ::first-line pseudo-element is similar to an inline-level element if its ‘float’ property is ‘none’; otherwise, it is similar to a floated element.
The following properties that apply to ::first-letter pseudo-elements:
- font properties
- ‘text-decoration’
- ‘text-transform’
- ‘letter-spacing’
- ‘word-spacing’
- ‘line-height’
- ‘float’
- ‘vertical-align’ (only if ‘float’ is ‘none’)
- margin properties
- padding properties
- border properties
- color property
- background properties

Example

Example A

[style.css]

 p:first-letter{
   font-size: 200%;
   color: red;
 }

[index.html]

<body>
  <p>This is a paragraph.</p>
  <p>This is a paragraph.</p>
  <p>This is a paragraph.</p>
</body>

Example B

The following CSS will make a drop cap initial letter span about two lines:

[style.css]

 p:first-letter{
   font-size: 300%;
   color: red;
   float: left;
 }

[index.html]

<body>
<p>The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community where Member organizations,
   a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.
   Led by Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and CEO Jeffrey Jaffe,
   W3C's mission is to lead the Web to its full potential.
   Contact W3C for more information.
</p>
</body>

CSS defines the ::first-letter pseudo-element in 7.2. The ::first-letter pseudo-element.