CSS Cursor Property

The CSS cursor property allows you to change the appearance of the mouse cursor when it hovers over an element on a webpage. This enhances user experience by providing visual feedback.

Key Concepts

• Purpose: To indicate interactive elements or the type of action that can be performed on an item.
• Values: The cursor property can take various predefined values or custom images.

Common Cursor Values

• Default Cursors:
  • auto: Default cursor based on the context.
  • default: Arrow cursor.
• Pointer Cursors:
  • pointer: Hand cursor indicating a clickable item (like links).
• Text Cursors:
  • text: I-beam cursor for text selection.
• Move Cursors:
  • move: Indicates that an element can be moved.
• Resize Cursors:
  • n-resize, e-resize, s-resize, w-resize: Cursors for resizing in respective directions.
• Custom Cursors:
  • You can use a custom image with url('path/to/cursor.png').

Example Usage

Here’s how to use the cursor property in CSS:

 .button {
    cursor: pointer; /* Changes cursor to hand on hover */
}

.text {
    cursor: text; /* Changes cursor to I-beam when hovering over text */
}

.custom-cursor {
    cursor: url('cursor-image.png'), auto; /* Custom cursor with fallback */
}

Practical Tips

• Use Meaningfully: Choose cursors that make sense for the action available (e.g., hand for links).
• Accessibility: Ensure that the cursor change aids in navigation and understanding of the page.
• Testing: Always test how cursors appear in different browsers and devices for consistency.

By effectively using the cursor property, you can improve the usability and interactivity of your web applications.