Managing pseudo-element's css using inheritance

by Alexander Shutov

HTML

<span id="arrow" class="arrow"></span>

CSS

.arrow {
    /* SET FICTIONAL PROPERTY */
    border-left-color:red;
    
    background-color:red;
    width:1em;
    height:1em;
    display:inline-block;
    position:relative;
}
.arrow:after {
    border-top:1em solid transparent;
    border-right:1em solid transparent;
    border-bottom:1em solid transparent;
    border-left:1em solid transparent;
    
    /* INHERIT PROPERTY */
    border-left-color:inherit;
    
    content:"";
    width:0;
    height:0;
    position:absolute;
    left:100%;
    top:-50%;
}

JavaScript

var switched = false;

// Enabling color switch
setInterval(function () {
    var color = switched ? 'red' : 'darkred';
    var element = document.getElementById('arrow');
    element.style.backgroundColor = color;
    
    // Managing pseudo-element's css
    // using inheritance.
    element.style.borderLeftColor = color;
    
    switched = !switched;
}, 1000);