content/snippets/css/s/navigation-list-item-hover-and-focus-effect.md
---
title: Navigation list item hover and focus effect
type: snippet
language: css
tags: [visual]
cover: cloudy-rock-formation
dateModified: 2021-10-11
---
Creates a custom hover and focus effect for navigation items, using CSS transformations.
- Use the `::before` pseudo-element at the list item anchor to create a hover effect. Hide it using `transform: scale(0)`.
- Use the `:hover` and `:focus` pseudo-class selectors to transition the pseudo-element to `transform: scale(1)` and show its colored background.
- Prevent the pseudo-element from covering the anchor element by using `z-index`.
```html
<nav class="hover-nav">
<ul>
<li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
<li><a href="#">About</a></li>
<li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
```
```css
.hover-nav ul {
list-style: none;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
overflow: hidden;
}
.hover-nav li {
float: left;
}
.hover-nav li a {
position: relative;
display: block;
color: #fff;
text-align: center;
padding: 8px 12px;
text-decoration: none;
z-index: 0;
}
li a::before {
position: absolute;
content: "";
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
bottom: 0;
left: 0;
background-color: #2683f6;
z-index: -1;
transform: scale(0);
transition: transform 0.5s ease-in-out;
}
li a:hover::before,
li a:focus::before {
transform: scale(1);
}
```