Complete List of HTML/xHTML Tags, With Guide to Proper Semantic Use
Use this handy guide as a reference when writing HTML or xHTML.
I list all the HTML tags you'll ever need - and all the ones you shouldn't use too! For each tag, I explain its proper use when writing Semantic HTML.
This is the reference we use when producing professional web page designs in our agency.
I hope you find it useful.
Comprehensive list of HTML tags with their semantically appropriate uses
I haven’t listed absolutely every HTML tag ever, as some of them are too obscure to be worth mentioning.
|
Tag |
What it is |
When to use it |
|
<a> |
Anchor (most commonly a link) |
Vital. Use to create links in content. Use the title attribute whenever the contents of the <a>…</a> pair do not accurately describe what you’ll get from selecting the link. Title attribute often displays as a tooltip in visual browsers, which may be a helpful usability aid. |
|
<abbr> |
Defines an abbreviation |
Works in a similar way to <dfn> and <acronym>, using a title attribute (displays a tooltip in standard visual browsers). e.g. <abbr title=”Hypertext markup language”>HTML</abbr> |
|
<ACRONYM> |
Defines an acronym |
Works in a similar way to <abbr> and <dfn>, using a title attribute (displays a tooltip in standard visual browsers). |
|
<ADDRESS> |
Used for marking up a physical (e.g. mailing) address |
Not commonly used. Recommend looking into microformats, which allow for more detail and interoperability. |
|
<APPLET> |
Inserts a Java applet |
The old way to insert a Java app. Use <object> instead today. |
|
<AREA> |
Hotspot in image map |
Avoid image maps where possible. Occasionally necessary. |
|
<BASE> |
Specifies the base location of the document. |
Use only when necessary. Adjusts any relative links and paths within the document. |
|
<BASEFONT> |
Sets default font size |
Display info – never use it |
|
<BIG> |
Larger text |
Display info – never use it |
|
<BLINK> |
Makes text blink |
You go to hell if you use this |
|
<BLOCKQUOTE> |
Large quoted block of text |
Use for any quoted text that constitutes one or more paragraphs (note: should contain <p> tags as well). Use <q> for quotations within a paragraph. Often used in conjunction with <cite> to cite the quotation’s source. |
|
<BODY> |
Document body |
Essential (unless you’re using frames) |
|
<BR> |
Line break |
This is arguably display information. Still in common use, but use with restraint. |
|
<B> |
Bold text |
Display info – never use it |
|
<BUTTON> |
Used for a standard clickable button within a form |
Often better than <input type=”button” /> or <input type=”submit” />, as it allows you to assign different styles based on the HTML element alone, whereas differentiating style based on the type of input is less well supported. |
|
<CAPTION> |
Caption for a table: describes the table’s contents |
The correct way to assign a title to a table |
|
<CENTER> |
Centred block |
Display info – never use it. Use <div> or some other block-level tag with the style text-align:center instead |
|
<CITE> |
Defines a citation |
Defines the source of a quotation (in conjunction with content in <q> or <blockquote> pairs). |
|
<CODE> |
Defines an extract of code |
Not commonly used. Similar to <pre> tag, but collapses consecutive white spaces and line breaks in the source. |
|
<COL> |
Identifies a particular column in a table |
Can be very useful. e.g. <col class=”namecol”> can be applied to each first column in a series of tables, then the width of each column may be set to be equal in the stylesheet, overriding the table’s natural tendency to adjust its own column widths to fit its contents. |
|
<DFN> |
Definition of a term |
Works in a similar way to <abbr> and <acronym>, using a title attribute (displays a tooltip in standard visual browsers). |
|
<DIR> |
Directory list |
Now deprecated. Use a standard <ul> or other list instead. |
|
<DIV> |
Division |
Specifies a logical division within a document. Use it to separate or identify chunks of content that are not otherwise distinguished naturally using other tags. One of the most common HTML tags. |
|
<DL> |
Definition list |
Contains one or more definition-term / definition-description pairs. |
|
<DT> |
Definition term |
Used as part of a <dt></dt><dd></dd> pair within a definition list (<dl></dl>) |
|
<DD> |
Definition description |
|
|
<EM> |
Emphasis |
Commonly used in place of the old <i> (italics) tag to indicate emphasis (but less than <strong>) |
|
<FONT> |
Font settings |
Display info – never use it |
|
<FORM> |
Input form |
Essential for data input |
|
<H1> |
Level 1 header |
Aim to have one H1 on each page, containing a description of what the page is about. |
|
<H2> |
Level 2 header |
Defines a section of the page |
|
<H3> |
Level 3 header |
Defines a sub-section of the page (should always follow an H2 in the logical hierarchy) |
|
<H4> |
Level 4 header |
Etc. Less commonly used |
|
<H5> |
Level 5 header |
Less commonly used. Only complex academic documents will break down to this level of detail. |
|
<H6> |
Level 6 header |
Less commonly used |
|
<HEAD> |
Document head |
Essential. Contains information about a page that does not constitute content to be communicated as part of the page. |
|
<HR> |
Horizontal rule |
Display info with no semantic value – never use it. “Horizontal”, by definition, is a visual attribute. |
|
<HTML> |
|
Core element of every web page. |
|
<IMG > |
Show an image |
Vital. Always use the alt or longdesc attributes when the image has content value |
|
<INPUT> |
Input fields within forms |
Vital. (I prefer to use <button> for buttons and submit buttons though) |
|
<ISINDEX> |
Old type of search input |
Not really used any more. Use <form> instead. |
|
<I> |
Italicised text |
Display info – never use it |
|
<KBD> |
Keyboard input |
Display info – never use it |
|
<LINK> |
Defines a relationship to another document |
Commonly used to reference external stylesheets, but has other minor uses |
|
<LI> |
List item |
Specifies an item in an unordered or ordered list (<ul> or <ol>) |
|
<MAP> |
Client-side imagemap |
May have occasional value, but only use when absolutely necessary |
|
<MARQUEE> |
Makes text scroll across the screen |
See <blink> |
|
<MENU> |
Menu item list |
Deprecated. Do not use. Use other standard list types instead. |
|
<META> |
Meta-information |
Useful way to insert relevant information into the <head> section of the page that does not need to be displayed. |
|
<OL> |
Ordered list |
Type of list where the order of elements has some meaning. Generally rendered with item numbers (best managed with CSS). |
|
<OPTION> |
Selection list option |
Vital for options within a drop-down control. |
|
<PARAM> |
Parameter for Java applet |
Used in conjunction with an <object> or <applet> tag to pass additional setting information at runtime. |
|
<PRE> |
Preformatted text |
Renders text in a pre-formatted style, preserving line breaks and all spaces present in the source. May be useful. (This one’s a paradox, as it is strictly display info that applies only to visual browsing, but it’s still so commonly used and useful that I’m hesitant to advise against using it.) |
|
<P> |
Paragraph |
Only use to denote a paragraph of text. Never use for spacing alone. |
|
<Q> |
Short quotation |
Use for inline quotations (whereas <blockquote> should be used for quotations of a paragraph or more). Often used in conjunction with <cite> to cite the quotation’s source. |
|
<SAMP> |
Denotes sample output text |
Similar to the <code> tag. Rarely used. Avoid. |
|
<SCRIPT> |
Inline script (e.g. JavaScript) |
It’s better to have all scripts as separate files than to write inline or in the <head> section, however still has its uses. |
|
<SELECT> |
Selection list |
A drop-down selector for a form. |
|
<SMALL> |
Smaller text |
Display info – never use it |
|
<SPAN> |
An inline span within text |
Use to apply meaning (and style) to a span of text that goes with the flow of content (whereas a <div> tag is block-level and breaks the flow) |
|
<Strikeout> |
|
Display info – never use it |
|
<STRONG> |
Strong emphasis |
Use this instead of the old <b> tag. |
|
<STYLE> |
CSS style settings |
Normally used in <head> section of a page. Try to use external stylesheets, to enable you to apply different styles for different output media. |
|
<SUB> |
Subscript text |
Arguably display info – recommend using alternative tags (e.g. <cite>). May be required in some academic uses, e.g. Chemical formulas. |
|
<SUP> |
Superscript text |
|
|
<TABLE> |
Table |
Use for repeated data that has a naturally tabular form. Never use for layout purposes. |
|
<TD> |
Table data cell |
A cell containing actual data. If a cell actually contains a descriptor or identifier for a row or column, use a <th> (table header) tag, not a <td>. This usually applies to column headers (within a <thead>), column footers (within a <tfoot>), as well as row headers (usually the first cell in a row in the <tbody>). |
|
<TEXTAREA> |
Multi-line text input area in a form |
Essential |
|
<TH> |
Table column or row header cell |
May appear in a <thead> (to denote a column header cell), <tbody> (to denote a row header), and in <tfoot> (to denote a column foot cell, e.g. a total) |
|
<TBODY> |
Indicates the main body of a data table |
It is always worth using this tag, as well as using <thead> and <tfoot> where appropriate. Note that it is permissible to have more than one <tbody>, <thead>, and <tfoot> in the same table. |
|
<THEAD> |
The head section of a table |
The place to put column header cells (<th>) |
|
<TFOOT> |
The foot section of a table |
Good place to put e.g. summary data, such as totals. Note that it goes before the <tbody> tag! |
|
<TITLE> |
Document title |
Essential |
|
<TR> |
Table row |
Essential with tables |
|
<TT> |
“Teletype” - simulates typewriter output |
Similar to <pre>, except that it collapses white space like normal HTML (whereas <pre> leaves all consecutive white space intact). Avoid if possible |
|
<UL> |
Unordered list |
Essential. Use for lists where the order or items has no particular importance. |
|
<U> |
Underline text |
Display info – never use it |
|
<VAR> |
Variable in computer code |
Obscure tag, may only be useful in academic documents. Avoid. |
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16 Comments Leave a comment
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I HAVE’NT SEEN SUCH A SIMPLE,EXPLAINED AND UNDERSTABLE SITE FOR HTML CODES.
This list of HTML tags is really useful and a very interesting read. The explanation of each tag use has been done extremely well and has definitely cleared up any issues or confusion I previously had.
Writing HTML can sometimes be a little tricky at the best of times so this reference is a really handy tool. It most definitely helped me and I’m sure a lot of other people would benefit also. This list also allows growing businesses to ensure they are producing professional web page designs for its clients, which will allow them to grow and prosper.
HR tag is not as bad as the author says. Be it horizontal or not, the proper usage is as follows: these tags divide your document into sections visible when CSS is off (e.g. in text-only browsers), and they can be removed with CSS from a styled version of the page.
Nice list of markup tags, and good recommendations. I disagree with some of the conclusions, and the absolutes you apply to them. For example might be used if the intent is not to emphasize the text, but rather to italicize it. Scientific names come to immediate mind. In the written word, those are italicized; they are not emphasized when spoken.
I find it also interesting that if you look at the page source here, the italicized text in the section on uses rather than , even though in that case the italics are used for emphasis.
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Blink XD blink doesn’t really even work anymore.
Good!
Well, I think that it’s Simpe but usable.
It would have been much better if, examples would have also been included.. and a small screen-shot of same.
Wao, never had somthing like this. Very powerful. be my Teacher
due to ur web site it is possible to me to make my own web pagee
List of html tags were very usefull and interesting read…
This tags are explained here in such a simple way…
even beginners also can understand and learn from here…
This are very useful…
Its kinda small ” HTML Tag Dictionary “.
Great help for me, Thx alot
.
CAn you also make a list of CSS properties.?
Very Very good and helpful thanks a lot