HTML Elements

<a> (inline text semantics)

The <a> HTML element (or anchor element), with its href attribute, creates a hyperlink to web pages, files, email addresses, locations in the same page, or anything else a URL can address.

<abbr> (inline text semantics)

The <abbr> HTML element represents an abbreviation or acronym; the optional title attribute can provide an expansion or description for the abbreviation.

<address>> (sectioning content)

The <address> HTML element indicates that the enclosed HTML provides contact information for a person or people, or for an organization.

<area> (Image and multimedia)

The <area> HTML element defines an area inside an image map that has predefined clickable areas. An image map allows geometric areas on an image to be associated with Hyperlink.

<article> (sectioning content)

The <article> HTML element represents a self-contained composition in a document, page, application, or site, which is intended to be independently distributable or reusable (e.g., in syndication). Examples include: a forum post, a magazine or newspaper article, or a blog entry, a product card, a user-submitted comment, an interactive widget or gadget, or any other independent item of content.

<<aside> (sectioning content)

The <aside> HTML element represents a portion of a document whose content is only indirectly related to the document's main content. Asides are frequently presented as sidebars or call-out boxes.

<audio> (Image and multimedia)

The <audio> HTML element is used to embed sound content in documents. It may contain one or more audio sources, represented using the src attribute or the source element: the browser will choose the most suitable one. It can also be the destination for streamed media, using a MediaStream.

<b> (inline text semantics)

The <b> HTML element is used to draw the reader's attention to the element's contents, which are not otherwise granted special importance. This was formerly known as the Boldface element, and most browsers still draw the text in boldface. However, you should not use <b> for styling text; instead, you should use the CSS font-weight property to create boldface text, or the strong element to indicate that text is of special importance.

<base> (metadata)

The <base> HTML element specifies the base URL to use for all relative URLs in a document. There can be only one <base> element in a document.

<bdi> (inline text semantics)

The <bdi> HTML element tells the browser's bidirectional algorithm to treat the text it contains in isolation from its surrounding text. It's particularly useful when a website dynamically inserts some text and doesn't know the directionality of the text being inserted.

<bdo> (inline text semantics)

The <bdo> HTML element overrides the current directionality of text, so that the text within is rendered in a different direction.

<track> (Image and multimedia)

The <track> HTML element is used as a child of the media elements, audio and video. It lets you specify timed text tracks (or time-based data), for example to automatically handle subtitles. The tracks are formatted in WebVTT format (.vtt files) — Web Video Text Tracks.

<u> (inline text semantics)

The <u> HTML element represents a span of inline text which should be rendered in a way that indicates that it has a non-textual annotation. This is rendered by default as a simple solid underline, but may be altered using CSS.

<ul> (text content)

The <ul> HTML element represents an unordered list of items, typically rendered as a bulleted list.

<var> (inline text semantics)

The <var> HTML element represents the name of a variable in a mathematical expression or a programming context. It's typically presented using an italicized version of the current typeface, although that behavior is browser-dependent.

<video> (Image and multimedia)

The <video> HTML element embeds a media player which supports video playback into the document. You can use <video> for audio content as well, but the audio element may provide a more appropriate user experience.

<wbr> (inline text semantics)

The <wbr> HTML element represents a word break opportunity—a position within text where the browser may optionally break a line, though its line-breaking rules would not otherwise create a break at that location.

Document metadata

Metadata contains information about the page. This includes information about styles, scripts and data to help software (search engines, browsers, etc.) use and render the page. Metadata for styles and scripts may be defined in the page or link to another file that has the information.

<blockquote> (text content)

The <blockquote> HTML element indicates that the enclosed text is an extended quotation. Usually, this is rendered visually by indentation (see Notes for how to change it). A URL for the source of the quotation may be given using the cite attribute, while a text representation of the source can be given using the cite element.

<body> (sectioning root)

The <body> HTML element represents the content of an HTML document. There can be only one <body> element in a document.

<br> (inline text semantics)

The <br> HTML element produces a line break in text (carriage-return). It is useful for writing a poem or an address, where the division of lines is significant.

<cite> (inline text semantics)

The <cite> HTML element is used to describe a reference to a cited creative work, and must include the title of that work. The reference may be in an abbreviated form according to context-appropriate conventions related to citation metadata.

<code> (inline text semantics)

The <code> HTML element displays its contents styled in a fashion intended to indicate that the text is a short fragment of computer code. By default, the content text is displayed using the user agent default monospace font.

<data> (inline text semantics)

The <data> HTML element links a given piece of content with a machine-readable translation. If the content is time- or date-related, the time element must be used.

<dd> (text content)

The <dd> HTML element provides the description, definition, or value for the preceding term (dt) in a description list (dl).

<dfn> (inline text semantics)

The <dfn> HTML element is used to indicate the term being defined within the context of a definition phrase or sentence. The p element, the dt/dd pairing, or the section element which is the nearest ancestor of the <dfn> is considered to be the definition of the term.

<div> (text content)

The <div> HTML element is the generic container for flow content. It has no effect on the content or layout until styled in some way using CSS (e.g. styling is directly applied to it, or some kind of layout model like Flexbox is applied to its parent element).

<dl> (text content)

The <dl> HTML element represents a description list. The element encloses a list of groups of terms (specified using the dt element) and descriptions (provided by dd elements). Common uses for this element are to implement a glossary or to display metadata (a list of key-value pairs).

<dt> (text content)

The <dt> HTML element specifies a term in a description or definition list, and as such must be used inside a dl element. It is usually followed by a dd element; however, multiple <dt> elements in a row indicate several terms that are all defined by the immediate next dd element.

<em> (inline text semantics)

The <em> HTML element marks text that has stress emphasis. The <em> element can be nested, with each level of nesting indicating a greater degree of emphasis.

<figcaption> (text content)

The <figcaption> HTML element represents a caption or legend describing the rest of the contents of its parent figure element.

<figure> (text content)

The <figure> HTML element represents self-contained content, potentially with an optional caption, which is specified using the figcaption element. The figure, its caption, and its contents are referenced as a single unit.

<footer> (sectioning content)

The <footer> HTML element represents a footer for its nearest sectioning content or sectioning root element. A <footer> typically contains information about the author of the section, copyright data or links to related documents.

<h1>, <h2>, <h3>, <h4>, <h5>, <h6> (sectioning content)

The <h1> to <h6> HTML elements represent six levels of section headings. <h1> is the highest section level and <h6> is the lowest.

<head> (metadata)

The <head> HTML element contains machine-readable information (metadata) about the document, like its title, scripts, and style sheets.

<header> (sectioning content)

The <header> HTML element represents introductory content, typically a group of introductory or navigational aids. It may contain some heading elements but also a logo, a search form, an author name, and other elements.

<hr> (text content)

The <hr> HTML element represents a thematic break between paragraph-level elements: for example, a change of scene in a story, or a shift of topic within a section.

<html>

The <html> HTML element represents the root (top-level element) of an HTML document, so it is also referred to as the root element. All other elements must be descendants of this element.

<i> (inline text semantics)

The <i> HTML element represents a range of text that is set off from the normal text for some reason, such as idiomatic text, technical terms, taxonomical designations, among others. Historically, these have been presented using italicized type, which is the original source of the <i> naming of this element.

<img> (Image and multimedia)

The <img> HTML element embeds an image into the document.

<kbd> (inline text semantics)

The <kbd> HTML element represents a span of inline text denoting textual user input from a keyboard, voice input, or any other text entry device. By convention, the user agent defaults to rendering the contents of a <kbd> element using its default monospace font, although this is not mandated by the HTML standard.

<sup> (inline text semantics)

`The <sup> HTML element specifies inline text which is to be displayed as superscript for solely typographical reasons. Superscripts are usually rendered with a raised baseline using smaller text.

<li> (text content)

The <li> HTML element is used to represent an item in a list. It must be contained in a parent element: an ordered list (ol), an unordered list (ul), or a menu (menu). In menus and unordered lists, list items are usually displayed using bullet points. In ordered lists, they are usually displayed with an ascending counter on the left, such as a number or letter.

<link> (metadata)

The <link> HTML element specifies relationships between the current document and an external resource. This element is most commonly used to link to CSS, but is also used to establish site icons (both "favicon" style icons and icons for the home screen and apps on mobile devices) among other things.

<main> (sectioning content)

The <main> HTML element represents the dominant content of the body of a document. The main content area consists of content that is directly related to or expands upon the central topic of a document, or the central functionality of an application.

<map> (Image and multimedia)

The <map> HTML element is used with area elements to define an image map (a clickable link area).

<mark> (inline text semantics)

The <mark> HTML element represents text which is marked or highlighted for reference or notation purposes, due to the marked passage's relevance or importance in the enclosing context.

<meta> (metadata)

The <meta> HTML element represents Metadata that cannot be represented by other HTML meta-related elements, like base, link, script, style or title.

<nav> (sectioning content)

The <nav> HTML element represents a section of a page whose purpose is to provide navigation links, either within the current document or to other documents. Common examples of navigation sections are menus, tables of contents, and indexes.

<ol> (text content)

The <ol> HTML element represents an ordered list of items — typically rendered as a numbered list.

<p> (text content)

The <p> HTML element represents a paragraph. Paragraphs are usually represented in visual media as blocks of text separated from adjacent blocks by blank lines and/or first-line indentation, but HTML paragraphs can be any structural grouping of related content, such as images or form fields.

<small> (inline text semantics)

The <small> HTML element represents side-comments and small print, like copyright and legal text, independent of its styled presentation. By default, it renders text within it one font-size smaller, such as from small to x-small.

<pre> (text content)

The <pre> HTML element represents preformatted text which is to be presented exactly as written in the HTML file. The text is typically rendered using a non-proportional, or "monospaced, font. Whitespace inside this element is displayed as written.

<q> (inline text semantics)

The <q> HTML element indicates that the enclosed text is a short inline quotation. Most modern browsers implement this by surrounding the text in quotation marks. This element is intended for short quotations that don't require paragraph breaks; for long quotations use the blockquote element.

<rp> (inline text semantics)

The <rp> HTML element is used to provide fall-back parentheses for browsers that do not support display of ruby annotations using the ruby element. One <rp> element should enclose each of the opening and closing parentheses that wrap the rt element that contains the annotation's text.

<rt> (inline text semantics)

The <rt> HTML element specifies the ruby text component of a ruby annotation, which is used to provide pronunciation, translation, or transliteration information for East Asian typography. The <rt> element must always be contained within a ruby element.

<ruby> (inline text semantics)

The <ruby> HTML element represents small annotations that are rendered above, below, or next to base text, usually used for showing the pronunciation of East Asian characters. It can also be used for annotating other kinds of text, but this usage is less common.

<s> (inline text semantics)

The <s> HTML element renders text with a strikethrough, or a line through it. Use the <s> element to represent things that are no longer relevant or no longer accurate. However, <s> is not appropriate when indicating document edits; for that, use the del and ins elements, as appropriate.

<samp> (inline text semantics)

The <samp> HTML element is used to enclose inline text which represents sample (or quoted) output from a computer program. Its contents are typically rendered using the browser's default monospaced font (such as Courier or Lucida Console).

<section> (sectioning content)

The <section> HTML element represents a generic standalone section of a document, which doesn't have a more specific semantic element to represent it. Sections should always have a heading, with very few exceptions.

<span> (inline text semantics)

The <span> HTML element is a generic inline container for phrasing content, which does not inherently represent anything. It can be used to group elements for styling purposes (using the class or id attributes), or because they share attribute values, such as lang. It should be used only when no other semantic element is appropriate. <span> is very much like a div element, but div is a block-level element whereas a <span> is an inline element.

<strong> (inline text semantics)

The <strong> HTML element indicates that its contents have strong importance, seriousness, or urgency. Browsers typically render the contents in bold type.

<style> (metadata)

The <style> HTML element contains style information for a document, or part of a document. It contains CSS, which is applied to the contents of the document containing the <style> element.

<sub> (inline text semantics)

The <sub> HTML element specifies inline text which should be displayed as subscript for solely typographical reasons. Subscripts are typically rendered with a lowered baseline using smaller text.

<time> (inline text semantics)

The <time> HTML element represents a specific period in time. It may include the datetime attribute to translate dates into machine-readable format, allowing for better search engine results or custom features such as reminders.

<title> (metadata)

The <title> HTML element defines the document's title that is shown in a Browser's title bar or a page's tab. It only contains text; tags within the element are ignored.