For this question I'm using the following markup:
<body>
<p>1</p> <!-- Paragraph 1 -->
<p>2</p> <!-- Paragraph 2 -->
<p>3</p> <!-- Paragraph 3 -->
</body>
From the Selectors Level 3 specification, the following selector rules apply:
* any element
E + F an F element immediately preceded by an E element
E ~ F an F element preceded by an E element
Based on this, the following should occur:
body + * { } /* Selects nothing as no elements precede body */
body ~ * { } /* As above. */
p + * { } /* Selects Paragraph 2 and Paragraph 3 as these are preceded by p */
p ~ * { } /* As above. */
* + * { } /* As above. */
* ~ * { } /* As above. */
False!
* + * and * ~ * are somehow able to select Paragraph 1 along with 2 and 3! Paragraph 1 isn't preceded by anything, so should be impossible to access:
body + * { background: #000; }
body ~ * { background: #000; }
p ~ * { color: #f00; }
p + * { font-weight: bold; }
* + * { text-decoration: underline; }
* ~ * { font-style: italic; }
Result:
As you can see, paragraph 1 isn't preceded by the body or a phantom p, yet it is apparently preceded by something. It should have no custom styling applied to it at all, yet is somehow affected by those last two selectors. What is the logic behind this?
