Understanding HTML Tags
HTML tags are the fundamental building blocks of web pages. They define the structure and content of your website, telling browsers how to display text, images, links, and other elements. Every HTML tag serves a specific purpose, from creating headings and paragraphs to embedding multimedia content.
Tags are written using angle brackets, with most requiring both an
opening tag (like <div>) and a closing tag
(like </div>). Some tags, known as self-closing
or void elements, don't require a closing tag, such as
<img> or <br>.
HTML has evolved significantly over the years. HTML5 introduced
many new semantic tags that provide better meaning and structure
to web content. These include tags like
<article>, <section>,
<nav>, and <header>, which
help both browsers and search engines understand your content
better.
This reference guide covers all standard HTML tags, including deprecated tags that are no longer recommended for use. Use the search bar below to quickly find any tag, or filter by category to explore specific types of tags. Each tag links to detailed documentation with examples and browser compatibility information.
| Tag & Status | Description |
|---|---|
| <!--...--> | Defines a comment |
| <!DOCTYPE> | Defines the document type |
| <a> | Defines a hyperlink |
| <abbr> | Defines an abbreviation or acronym |
| <acronym> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use <abbr> instead |
| <address> | Defines contact information for the author/owner of a document |
| <applet> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use <embed> or <object> instead |
| <area> | Defines an area inside an image map |
| <article> | Defines an article |
| <aside> | Defines content aside from the page content |
| <audio> | Defines embedded sound content |
| <b> | Defines bold text |
| <base> | Specifies the base URL/target for all relative URLs in a document |
| <basefont> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use CSS instead |
| <bdi> | Isolates a part of text that might be formatted in a different direction |
| <bdo> | Overrides the current text direction |
| <big> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use CSS instead |
| <blockquote> | Defines a section that is quoted from another source |
| <body> | Defines the document's body |
| <br> | Defines a single line break |
| <button> | Defines a clickable button |
| <canvas> | Used to draw graphics, on the fly, via scripting (usually JavaScript) |
| <caption> | Defines a table caption |
| <center> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use CSS instead |
| <cite> | Defines the title of a work |
| <code> | Defines a piece of computer code |
| <col> | Specifies column properties for each column within a <colgroup> element |
| <colgroup> | Specifies a group of one or more columns in a table for formatting |
| <data> | Adds a machine-readable translation of a given content |
| <datalist> | Specifies a list of pre-defined options for input controls |
| <dd> | Defines a description/value of a term in a description list |
| <del> | Defines text that has been deleted from a document |
| <details> | Defines additional details that the user can view or hide |
| <dfn> | Specifies a term that is going to be defined within the content |
| <dialog> | Defines a dialog box or window |
| <dir> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use <ul> instead |
| <div> | Defines a section in a document |
| <dl> | Defines a description list |
| <dt> | Defines a term/name in a description list |
| <em> | Defines emphasized text |
| <embed> | Defines a container for an external resource |
| <fieldset> | Groups related elements in a form |
| <figcaption> | Defines a caption for a <figure> element |
| <figure> | Specifies self-contained content |
| <font> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use CSS instead |
| <footer> | Defines a footer for a document or section |
| <form> | Defines an HTML form for user input |
| <frame> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML |
| <frameset> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML |
| <h1> | Defines HTML headings (h1 to h6) |
| <h2> | Defines HTML headings (h1 to h6) |
| <h3> | Defines HTML headings (h1 to h6) |
| <h4> | Defines HTML headings (h1 to h6) |
| <h5> | Defines HTML headings (h1 to h6) |
| <h6> | Defines HTML headings (h1 to h6) |
| <head> | Contains metadata/information for the document |
| <header> | Defines a header for a document or section |
| <hgroup> | Defines a header and related content |
| <hr> | Defines a thematic change in the content |
| <html> | Defines the root of an HTML document |
| <i> | Defines a part of text in an alternate voice or mood |
| <iframe> | Defines an inline frame |
| <img> | Defines an image |
| <input> | Defines an input control |
| <ins> | Defines a text that has been inserted into a document |
| <kbd> | Defines keyboard input |
| <label> | Defines a label for an <input> element |
| <legend> | Defines a caption for a <fieldset> element |
| <li> | Defines a list item |
| <link> | Defines the relationship between a document and an external resource |
| <main> | Specifies the main content of a document |
| <map> | Defines an image map |
| <mark> | Defines marked/highlighted text |
| <menu> | Defines an unordered list |
| <meta> | Defines metadata about an HTML document |
| <meter> | Defines a scalar measurement within a known range |
| <nav> | Defines navigation links |
| <noframes> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML |
| <noscript> | Defines an alternate content for users that do not support client-side scripts |
| <object> | Defines a container for an external resource |
| <ol> | Defines an ordered list |
| <optgroup> | Defines a group of related options in a drop-down list |
| <option> | Defines an option in a drop-down list |
| <output> | Defines the result of a calculation |
| <p> | Defines a paragraph |
| <param> | Defines a parameter for an object |
| <picture> | Defines a container for multiple image resources |
| <pre> | Defines preformatted text |
| <progress> | Represents the progress of a task |
| <q> | Defines a short quotation |
| <rp> | Defines what to show in browsers that do not support ruby annotations |
| <rt> | Defines an explanation/pronunciation of characters (for East Asian typography) |
| <ruby> | Defines a ruby annotation (for East Asian typography) |
| <s> | Defines text that is no longer correct |
| <samp> | Defines sample output from a computer program |
| <script> | Defines a client-side script |
| <search> | Defines a search section |
| <section> | Defines a section in a document |
| <select> | Defines a drop-down list |
| <small> | Defines smaller text |
| <source> | Defines multiple media resources for media elements |
| <span> | Defines a section in a document |
| <strike> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use <del> or <s> instead |
| <strong> | Defines important text |
| <style> | Defines style information for a document |
| <sub> | Defines subscripted text |
| <summary> | Defines a visible heading for a <details> element |
| <sup> | Defines superscripted text |
| <svg> | Defines a container for SVG graphics |
| <table> | Defines a table |
| <tbody> | Groups the body content in a table |
| <td> | Defines a cell in a table |
| <template> | Defines a container for content that should be hidden when the page loads |
| <textarea> | Defines a multiline input control (text area) |
| <tfoot> | Groups the footer content in a table |
| <th> | Defines a header cell in a table |
| <thead> | Groups the header content in a table |
| <time> | Defines a specific time (or datetime) |
| <title> | Defines a title for the document |
| <tr> | Defines a row in a table |
| <track> | Defines text tracks for media elements |
| <tt> 路 Historical | Obsolete and non-conforming in modern HTML. Use CSS instead |
| <u> | Defines some text that is unarticulated and styled differently |
| <ul> | Defines an unordered list |
| <var> | Defines a variable |
| <video> | Defines embedded video content |
| <wbr> | Defines a possible line-break |