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<h3>

Defines a level 3 heading (subsection heading)

Definition and Usage

The <h3> element establishes a level 3 heading in an HTML document. It represents subsection headings that fall under <h2> sections.

HTML headings are defined with the <h1> to <h6> tags, where <h1> is the most important and <h6> is the least important.

Tip: Use <h3> tags to divide content within <h2> sections into smaller, more specific subsections.
Best Practice: Only use <h3> after establishing both <h1> and <h2>. Don't skip heading levels.

Browser Support

The <h3> tag is supported in all major browsers:

Chrome
Chrome
Yes
Firefox
Firefox
Yes
Safari
Safari
Yes
Edge
Edge
Yes
Opera
Opera
Yes

Examples

Basic H3 Heading

Create subsection headings with H3:

Example

<h1>Web Development Tutorial</h1>

<h2>Frontend Development</h2>

<h3>HTML Basics</h3>
<p>Learn the fundamentals of HTML...</p>

<h3>CSS Styling</h3>
<p>Style your web pages with CSS...</p>

<h3>JavaScript Programming</h3>
<p>Add interactivity with JavaScript...</p>

H3 with Styling

Style subsection headings with CSS:

Example

<style>
  h3 {
    color: #374151;
    font-size: 24px;
    font-weight: 600;
    margin-top: 32px;
    margin-bottom: 16px;
    padding-left: 12px;
    border-left: 4px solid #3b82f6;
  }
</style>

<h3>Important Subsection</h3>

Document Structure with H3

Create detailed content hierarchy with H3:

Example

<article>
  <h1>Complete CSS Guide</h1>

  <h2>CSS Selectors</h2>

  <h3>Element Selectors</h3>
  <p>Target HTML elements by tag name...</p>

  <h3>Class Selectors</h3>
  <p>Target elements by class attribute...</p>

  <h3>ID Selectors</h3>
  <p>Target unique elements by ID...</p>

  <h2>CSS Properties</h2>

  <h3>Color Properties</h3>
  <p>Set text and background colors...</p>

  <h3>Layout Properties</h3>
  <p>Control element positioning...</p>
</article>

Semantic Hierarchy with H3 and H4

Combine H3 with H4 for even deeper structure:

Example

<article>
  <h1>JavaScript ES6+ Features</h1>

  <h2>Modern Syntax</h2>

  <h3>Arrow Functions</h3>
  <p>Concise function syntax introduced in ES6...</p>

  <h4>Basic Arrow Function</h4>
  <p>Simple arrow function examples...</p>

  <h4>Arrow Functions with Parameters</h4>
  <p>Passing parameters to arrow functions...</p>

  <h3>Template Literals</h3>
  <p>String interpolation with backticks...</p>
</article>

Heading Hierarchy

HTML headings follow a hierarchical structure from <h1> to <h6>:

H1 - Main Page Title
H2 - Major Section
H3 - Subsection
H4 - Sub-subsection
H5 - Minor heading
H6 - Least important
Warning: Never use <h3> before establishing <h1> and <h2>. Always maintain proper heading order.

Default Heading Sizes

Comparison of default sizes for all heading tags:

Tag Default Size Importance Usage
<h1> 2em (32px) Most Important Main page title (one per page)
<h2> 1.5em (24px) High Major section headings
<h3> 1.17em (18.72px) Medium-High Subsection headings
<h4> 1em (16px) Medium Sub-subsection headings
<h5> 0.83em (13.28px) Low Minor headings
<h6> 0.67em (10.72px) Least Important Lowest level headings

SEO Best Practices

  • Multiple H3 Tags OK: You can have multiple <h3> tags under each <h2> section
  • Descriptive Content: Make H3 headings clearly describe subsection content
  • Natural Keywords: Include relevant keywords naturally in headings
  • Proper Hierarchy: H3 should come after H2 and before H4
  • Content Organization: Use H3 to break down H2 sections into logical parts
  • Readability: Help users scan and understand content structure
  • Topic Relevance: Ensure H3 relates to parent H2 section

Accessibility

Screen readers and assistive technologies rely on heading structure for navigation:

  • Subsection Markers: H3 tags mark subsections within H2 sections
  • Detail Navigation: Users can navigate to specific subsections
  • Content Outline: H3 adds detail to document outline
  • Hierarchical Order: Maintain H1 → H2 → H3 sequence
  • Clear Descriptions: H3 text should indicate subsection content
  • Semantic Structure: Don't use H3 for styling purposes only
Accessibility Tip: Proper H3 usage helps screen reader users understand the relationship between subsections and their parent sections.

CSS Styling Examples

Modern H3 Design

Example

<style>
  h3 {
    font-size: 22px;
    font-weight: 600;
    color: #1f2937;
    margin: 28px 0 16px 0;
    padding-bottom: 8px;
    border-bottom: 2px solid #e5e7eb;
  }

  h3:hover {
    color: #3b82f6;
    border-bottom-color: #3b82f6;
    transition: all 0.3s ease;
  }
</style>

<h3>Subsection Title</h3>

H3 with Bullet Point

Example

<style>
  h3 {
    font-size: 20px;
    font-weight: 600;
    color: #374151;
    margin: 24px 0 12px 0;
    display: flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 10px;
  }

  h3::before {
    content: '▸';
    color: #3b82f6;
    font-size: 18px;
  }
</style>

<h3>Key Point</h3>

Numbered Subsections

Example

<style>
  h2 {
    counter-reset: subsection;
  }

  h3 {
    font-size: 20px;
    font-weight: 600;
    color: #1f2937;
    counter-increment: subsection;
    margin: 20px 0 12px 0;
  }

  h3::before {
    content: counter(section) "." counter(subsection) " ";
    color: #3b82f6;
  }
</style>

<h2>Main Section</h2>
<h3>First Subsection</h3>
<h3>Second Subsection</h3>

Best Practices

DO:
  • Use H3 for subsections within H2 sections
  • Ensure H3 content relates to its parent H2
  • Make H3 headings specific and descriptive
  • Follow the hierarchy: H1 → H2 → H3
  • Use multiple H3 tags when needed
DON'T:
  • Use H3 before establishing H1 and H2
  • Skip from H2 to H4 without H3
  • Choose H3 based on visual size alone
  • Make H3 too long (keep it concise)
  • Use H3 for styling purposes only

Related Tags

  • <h1>

    Level 1 heading (main title)

  • <h2>

    Level 2 heading

  • <h4>

    Level 4 heading

  • <h5>

    Level 5 heading

  • <h6>

    Level 6 heading

  • <article>

    Defines an article