How can I make an image carousel with only CSS?

That's easy! Just use radio buttons and targeted labels.

Radio buttons have the (necessary) behavior of only allowing one to be selected at any one time—just like an image in our carousel.

Demo

div.wrap2 {
  float: left;
  height: 500px;
  width: 422px;
}
div.group input {
  display: none;
  left: -100%;
  position: absolute;
  top: -100%;
}
div.group input ~ div.content {
  border: solid 1px black;
  display: none;
  height: 350px;
  margin: 0px 60px;
  position: relative;
  width: 300px;
}
div.group input:checked ~ div.content {
  display: block;
}
div.group input:checked ~ label.previous,
div.group input:checked ~ label.next {
  display: block;
}
div.group label {
  background-color: #69c;
  border: solid 1px black;
  display: none;
  height: 50px;
  width: 50px;
}
img {
  left: 0;
  margin: 0 auto;
  position: absolute;
  right: 0;
}
p {
  text-align: center;
}
label {
  font-size: 4em;
  margin: 125px 0 0 0;
}
label.previous {
  float: left;
  padding: 0 0 30px 5px;
}
label.next {
  float: right;
  padding: 0 5px 25px 0;
  text-align: right;
}
<div class="wrap">
  <div class="wrap2">
    <div class="group">
      <input type="radio" name="test" id="0" value="0">
      <label for="4" class="previous">&lt;</label>
      <label for="1" class="next">&gt;</label>
      <div class="content">
        <p>panel #0</p>
        <img src="http://i.stack.imgur.com/R5yzx.jpg" width="200" height="286">
      </div>
    </div>
    <div class="group">
      <input type="radio" name="test" id="1" value="1">
      <label for="0" class="previous">&lt;</label>
      <label for="2" class="next">&gt;</label>
      <div class="content">
        <p>panel #1</p>
        <img src="http://i.stack.imgur.com/k0Hsd.jpg" width="200" height="139">
      </div>
    </div>
    <div class="group">
      <input type="radio" name="test" id="2" value="2">
      <label for="1" class="previous">&lt;</label>
      <label for="3" class="next">&gt;</label>
      <div class="content">
        <p>panel #2</p>
        <img src="http://i.stack.imgur.com/Hhl9H.jpg" width="140" height="200">
      </div>
    </div>
    <div class="group">
      <input type="radio" name="test" id="3" value="3" checked="">
      <label for="2" class="previous">&lt;</label>
      <label for="4" class="next">&gt;</label>
      <div class="content">
        <p>panel #3</p>
        <img src="http://i.stack.imgur.com/r1AyN.jpg" width="200" height="287">
      </div>
    </div>
    <div class="group">
      <input type="radio" name="test" id="4" value="4">
      <label for="3" class="previous">&lt;</label>
      <label for="0" class="next">&gt;</label>
      <div class="content">
        <p>panel #4</p>
        <img src="http://i.stack.imgur.com/EHHsa.jpg" width="96" height="139">
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

TLDR: Important notes

  • Make sure at least one input(type="radio") is checked by default, or the whole carousel will be hidden.
  • Hide the input radios and use labels as the previous/next buttons
  • Make sure the labels correctly target the previous/next radio input (see labels section at the end on how to do the targeting)
  • Show an image when its corresponding input radio is :checked
  • Use cute kitten pictures

Explanation

Here's what the basic HTML structure should look like:

div#holder
    div.group
        input(type="radio")
        label.previous
        label.next
        div.content
            img
    div.group
        // ... repeat as necessary

div#holder will hold all of our content in place. Then, we'll group our radio buttons, labels, and images all under a div.group. This makes sure our radio inputs don't suffer from destructive interference (pun).

The key is in the selectors (and the labels—make sure to read that section)

First, we'll hide our radio buttons—they're ugly anyway:

div.group input {
    display: none;
    position: absolute;
    top: -100%;
    left: -100%;
}

We won't ever have to click the radio buttons. Instead, we'll style our labels and add targets (for properties), so that they redirect the click to the appropriate radio input block.

Most of our labels should be hidden:

div.group label {
    display: none;
}

(I will omit all aesthetic styling, so as to make the styling easier to understand. You can see the better-looking version in the stack snippet.)

Except for those next to a radio input that is toggled on, or :checked

div.group input:checked ~ label.previous,
div.group input:checked ~ label.next {
    display: block;
}

In addition, the div.content following a checked input should also be displayed:

div.group input:checked ~ div.content {
    display: block;
}

However, when the radio button is not checked, div.content should be hidden:

div.group input ~ div.content {
    display: none;
    position: relative;
}

Bazinga! Now our carousel should be fully mostly functional, albeit a little ugly. Let's move our labels to the correct position:

label.previous { float: left; }
label.next { float: right; }

And center our images within their respective divs:

img {
    left: 0;
    margin: 0 auto;
    position: absolute;
    right: 0;
}

The last step is how you set up your labels:

<input type="radio" id="1">
<label class="previous" for="0">&lt;</label>
<label class="next" for="2">&gt;</label>

Note how, given a radio input with an id of n, the label.previous will have a for attribute of (n - 1) % M and the label.next will have a for attribute of (n + 1) % M, where M is the number of images in the carousel.

Extra

If you're using Jade (or some other template engine), you can set it up with a simple for-loop like this:

div.wrap2
    - var imgs = [[200, 286], [200, 139], [140, 200], [200, 287], [96, 139]];
    - for (var i = 0; i < imgs.length; i++)
        div.group
            input(type="radio" name="test" id="#{i}" value="#{i}" checked="#{input == 3}")
            label(for="#{(i - 1 + imgs.length) % imgs.length}").previous &lt;
            label(for="#{(i + 1) % imgs.length}").next &gt;
            div.content
                p panel ##{i}
                img(src="http://placekitten.com/g/#{imgs[i].join('/')}"
                    height="#{imgs[i][1]}"
                    width="#{imgs[i][0]}"
                )

Inspired by royhowie I ended up with a much simpler solution if it comes to HTML syntax. Also, with nice animation and fully customizable!

The main idea was to create the arrows not by placing them in HTML one by one, but by creating and then carefully positioning pseudoelements.

* {
    -ms-box-sizing: border-box;
    -moz-box-sizing: border-box;
    -webkit-box-sizing: border-box;
    box-sizing: border-box;
}

.CSS_slideshow {
    display: block;
    width: 600px;
    height: 425px;
    overflow: hidden;
    margin: 0 auto;
    -ms-user-select: none;
    -moz-user-select: none;
    -webkit-user-select: none;
    user-select: none;
    text-space-collapse: trim-inner;
}
.CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"][data-indicators-position="in"] {
    -webkit-margin-after: -25px; /* Removes the space under the slideshow. Webkit only as only Webkit-based browsers will support the dots in the wrapper */
}
/* Defines animation timing function */
.CSS_slideshow[data-animation-style] {
    -moz-transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;
    -webkit-transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;
    transition-timing-function: ease-in-out;
}
    /* Inherit all animation properties from parent element */
    .CSS_slideshow[data-animation-style] *,
    .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-animation-style] label:before,
    .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-animation-style] label:after {
        -moz-transition-duration: inherit;
        -webkit-transition-duration: inherit;
        transition-duration: inherit;
        -moz-transition-timing-function: inherit;
        -webkit-transition-timing-function: inherit;
        transition-timing-function: inherit;
    }
    /* WRAPPER */
    .CSS_slideshow_wrapper {
        display: block;
        width: 600px;
        height: 400px;
        position: relative;
        /* Styling */
        text-align: center;
    }
        /* Indicators */
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"] input {
            width: 10px;
            height: 10px;
            outline: none;
            position: relative;
            top: calc(100% + 7px);
            -ms-transform: scale(1); /* Fallback for Internet Explorer: supports radio button resizing, does not support :after. Not necessary, put for readibility. */ 
            -moz-transform: scale(0.6); /* Fallback for Firefox: does not radio button resizing, does not support :after */
            -webkit-appearance: none; /* hide radio buttons for Webkit: supports :after */
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"] input:checked {
            -ms-transform: scale(1.25); /* Fallback for Internet Explorer: supports radio button resizing, does not support :after */
            -moz-transform: scale(0.9); /* Fallback for Firefox: it does not do radio button resizing, does not support :after */
        }
        /* Webkit-only goodness - for now */
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"] input:after {
            content: '';
            display: block;
            position: absolute;
            left: 0;
            width: 8px;
            height: 8px;
            border: 1px solid;
            border-radius: 100%;
            cursor: pointer;
            z-index: 4;
            -moz-transition-property: transform, background;
            -webkit-transition-property: transform, background;
            transition-property: transform, background;
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"][data-indicators-position="under"] input:after {
            top: -2px;
            background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);
            border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"][data-indicators-position="in"] input:after {
            top: -35px;
            box-shadow: inset 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25), 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25);
            background: rgba(235, 235, 235, 0);
            border-color: rgb(235, 235, 235);
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"] input:checked:after {
            -webkit-transform: scale(1.25);
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"][data-indicators-position="under"] input:checked:after {
            background: rgb(0, 0, 0)
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-show-indicators="true"][data-indicators-position="in"] input:checked:after {
            box-shadow: 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25);
            background: rgb(235, 235, 235);
        }
        .CSS_slideshow:not([data-show-indicators="true"]) input {
            display: none;
        }
        /* SLIDES */
        .CSS_slideshow label {
            display: inline-block;
            width: 100%;
            height: 100%;
            position: absolute;
            top: 0;
        }
        .CSS_slideshow[data-animation-style="slide"] label {
            -moz-transition-property: left;
            -webkit-transition-property: left;
            transition-property: left;
        }
        .CSS_slideshow label img {
            width: 100%;
            height: 100%;
        }
        /* Puts all the slides on the left... */
        .CSS_slideshow label {
            left: -100%;
        }
        /* ...except the ones coming after input:checked - those are put on the right... */
        .CSS_slideshow input:checked ~ label {
            left: 100%;
        }
        /* ...except the one coming directly after input:checked - this is our current slide and it's in the middle */
        .CSS_slideshow input:checked + label {
            left: 0;
        }
            /* PREV/NEXT ARROWS */
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:before,
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:after {
                display: block;
                position: absolute;
                width: 60px;
                height: 60px;
                top: calc((100% - 60px) / 2);
                /* Styling */
                background: rgb(235, 235, 235);
                font-size: 35px;
                font-weight: 800;
                font-family: Consolas;
                line-height: 56px;
                color: black;
                z-index: 1;
                cursor: pointer;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-animation-style="slide"] label:before,
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-animation-style="slide"] label:after {
                -moz-transition-property: left, right;
                -webkit-transition-property: left, right;
                transition-property: left, right;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:hover:before,
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:hover:after {
                /* Styling */
                background: rgb(245, 245, 245);
            }
            /* Slides on the left */
            /* Since the slides are on the left, we need to move the buttons 100% to the right */
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:before {
                right: -100%;
                opacity: 0;
                /* Styling */
                content: '>'; /* next */
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:after {
                left: 100%;
                opacity: 1;
                /* Styling */
                content: '<'; /* previous */
            }
            /* Slides on the right */
            /* Since the slides are on the right, we need to move the buttons 100% to the left */
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] input:checked ~ label:before {
                right: 100%;
                opacity: 1;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] input:checked ~ label:after {
                left: -100%;
                opacity: 0;
                cursor: default;
            }
            /* Active slide */
            /* And for the active slide - just usual positioning */
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] input:checked + label:before {
                right: 0;
                opacity: 0;
                cursor: default;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] input:checked + label:after {
                left: 0;
            }
            /* Buttons positioning */
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] label:after {
                z-index: 3; /* move "previous" buttons forward... */
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] input:checked ~ label:after {
                z-index: 1; /* ...except the one for an active slide - this should be hidden - causes the "previous" arrow from the previous slide to be on top */
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"] input:checked + label + input + label:before {
                z-index: 3; /* move "next" button one slide ahead forward - causes the "next" arrow from the next slide to be on top */
            }
            /* WRAP ARROWS */
            /* We'll reuse "previous" arrow from the first slide and "next" arrow from the last to make "wrap" buttons, based on roughly the same principles */
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-show-wrap-buttons="true"] label:first-of-type:before,
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-show-wrap-buttons="true"] label:last-of-type:after {
                z-index: 2 !important;
                opacity: 1 !important;
                cursor: pointer !important;
                /* Styling */
                letter-spacing: -9px;
                text-align: left;
                padding-left: 14px;
                width: 46px;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-show-wrap-buttons="true"] label:first-of-type:before {
                content: '<<'; /* jump to first */
                right: 0 !important;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-show-wrap-buttons="true"] input:not(:checked) + label:first-of-type:before {
                right: -100% !important;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-show-wrap-buttons="true"] label:last-of-type:after {
                content: '>>'; /* jump to last */
                left: 0 !important;
            }
            .CSS_slideshow[data-show-buttons="true"][data-show-wrap-buttons="true"] input:not(:checked) + label:last-of-type:after {
                left: -100% !important;
            }


/* Non-CSS slideshow CSS */
body {
    font-family: Segoe UI, Tahoma, sans-serif;
    font-size: 14px;    
}

#license {
    margin-top: 3em;
    text-align: center;
    font-size: 10px;
}
    #license * {
        font-size: 10px;
    }
<div
    class="CSS_slideshow"
    data-show-indicators="true"
    data-indicators-position="in"
    data-show-buttons="true"
    data-show-wrap-buttons="true"
    data-animation-style="slide"
    style="-moz-transition-duration: 0.3s; -webkit-transition-duration: 0.3s; transition-duration: 0.3s;"
>
    <div class="CSS_slideshow_wrapper">
        <input type="radio" name="css3slideshow" id="slide1" checked /><!--
     --><label for="slide1"><img src="https://placekitten.com/g/602/400" /></label><!--
     --><input type="radio" name="css3slideshow" id="slide2" /><!--
     --><label for="slide2"><img src="https://placekitten.com/g/605/400" /></label><!--
     --><input type="radio" name="css3slideshow" id="slide3" /><!--
     --><label for="slide3"><img src="https://placekitten.com/g/600/400" /></label><!--
     --><input type="radio" name="css3slideshow" id="slide4" /><!--
     --><label for="slide4"><img src="https://placekitten.com/g/603/400" /></label><!--
     --><input type="radio" name="css3slideshow" id="slide5" /><!--
     --><label for="slide5"><img src="https://placekitten.com/g/604/400" /></label> 
    </div>
</div>

<div id="license">
    <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-sa/4.0/88x31.png" /></a><br /><span xmlns:dct="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" href="http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/InteractiveResource" property="dct:title" rel="dct:type">Pure CSS slideshow</span> by <a xmlns:cc="http://creativecommons.org/ns#" href="http://wojtekmaj.pl" property="cc:attributionName" rel="cc:attributionURL">Wojciech Maj</a> is licensed under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>.
</div>

JSFiddle

You can read more about customizations and some technical limitations on my fiddle.


Note, css below does not meet the specific requirement at Question

where a user can toggle between images, by clicking on arrows.

Utilizes :target pseudo class , thumbnails as controls to toggle between images ; modeled on pattern described at How to Trigger CSS3 Transitions on Click using :target

body {
  width: 70%;
  overflow: hidden;
}

section {
  position: relative;
  display: block;
  left: calc(50%);
}
/* set `div` container `background` to last `div img` `src` */
div {
  display: inline-block;
  position: relative;
  height: 100px;
  width: 100px;
  background: url(http://lorempixel.com/100/100/cats);
  border: 0.1em outset black;
}
/* set `img` `opacity:0`  */
div img {
  position: absolute;
  transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;
  -moz-transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;
  -webkit-transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;
  -o-transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;
  -ms-transition: all 500ms ease-in-out;
  opacity: 0;
}
/* 
   display `:target` `img` on click of `a`,
   having `img` as fragment identifier 
*/
div img:target {
  opacity: 1;
  animation: active 1s ease-in-out 0s normal 1 both;
  -moz-animation: active 1s ease-in-out 0s normal 1 both;
  -webkit-animation: active 1s ease-in-out 0s normal 1 both;
}
/* `.thumbs` `span` elements */
.thumbs {
  height: 25px;
  width: 25px;
  padding: 1px;
  display: inline-block;
  position: relative;
  text-align: center;
  border: 0.1em inset black;
  border-radius: 50px;
  font-size: 1em;
}
/* set `background` of `.thumbs` `span` elements  */
[href="#3"] .thumbs {
  background: url(http://lorempixel.com/100/100/cats);
  background-size: 100%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

[href="#2"] .thumbs {
  background: url(http://lorempixel.com/100/100/animals);
  background-size: 100%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

[href="#1"] .thumbs {
  background: url(http://lorempixel.com/100/100/technics);
  background-size: 100%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

[href="#0"] .thumbs {
  background: url(http://lorempixel.com/100/100/nature);
  background-size: 100%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
}

span:hover {
  border-top: 0.1em solid gold;
  border-left: 0.1em solid yellow;
  border-bottom: 0.1em solid orange;
  border-right: 0.1em solid goldenrod;
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.125em sienna, 0 0 0 0.225em dodgerblue;
}

a {
  top: 30%;
  text-decoration: none;
  display: inline-block;
  position: relative;
  color: transparent;
}

nav a {
  left: -16px;
}

@keyframes active {
  0% {
    box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.125em dodgerblue, 0 0 0 0.25em yellow;
  }
  100% {
    box-shadow: none;
  }
}

@-webkit-keyframes active {
  0% {
    box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.125em dodgerblue, 0 0 0 0.25em yellow;
  }
  100% {
    box-shadow: none;
  }
}

@-moz-keyframes active {
  0% {
    box-shadow: 0 0 0 0.125em dodgerblue, 0 0 0 0.25em yellow;
  }
  100% {
    box-shadow: none;
  }
}
<section>
  <div>
    <img src="http://lorempixel.com/100/100/nature" id="0" />
    <img src="http://lorempixel.com/100/100/technics" id="1" />
    <img src="http://lorempixel.com/100/100/animals" id="2" />
    <img src="http://lorempixel.com/100/100/cats" id="3" />
  </div>
  <nav>
    <a href="#3">
      <span class="thumbs">  
      </span>
    </a>
    <a href="#2">
      <span class="thumbs">  
       </span>
    </a>
    <a href="#1">
      <span class="thumbs">  
      </span>
    </a>
    <a href="#0">
      <span class="thumbs">  
      </span>
    </a>
  </nav>
</section>

Tags:

Javascript

Html

Css

Jquery

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