HTML Element Reference is a guide that provides detailed information about all the available tags in HTML, which is the standard language for creating web pages. These elements form the building blocks of a webpage and define its structure, content, and layout. From headings, paragraphs, and links to tables, forms, and media — each tag serves a specific purpose and has its own set of attributes to customize functionality and appearance.
Having a solid understanding of HTML elements is essential for web development, as it ensures clean, semantic, and accessible code. An HTML element reference helps developers and learners quickly look up tag usage, syntax, and compatibility, making it an indispensable tool for designing and coding efficient and user-friendly websites.
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <!–…–> | Defines a comment |
| <!DOCTYPE> | Defines the document type |
| <a> | Defines a hyperlink |
| <abbr> | Defines an abbreviation or an acronym |
| <acronym> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <abbr> instead. Defines an acronym |
| <address> | Defines contact information for the author/owner of a document |
| <applet> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <embed> or <object> instead. Defines an embedded applet |
| <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> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Specifies a default color, size, and font for all text in a document |
| <bdi> | Isolates a part of text that might be formatted in a different direction from other text outside it |
| <bdo> | Overrides the current text direction |
| <big> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines big text |
| <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> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines centered text |
| <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> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <ul> instead. Defines a directory list |
| <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 application |
| <fieldset> | Groups related elements in a form |
| <figcaption> | Defines a caption for a <figure> element |
| <figure> | Specifies self-contained content |
| <font> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines font, color, and size for text |
| <footer> | Defines a footer for a document or section |
| <form> | Defines an HTML form for user input |
| <frame> | Not supported in HTML5. Defines a window (a frame) in a frameset |
| <frameset> | Not supported in HTML5. Defines a set of frames |
| <h1> to <h6> | Defines HTML headings |
| <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 (most used to link to style sheets) |
| <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 (a gauge) |
| <nav> | Defines navigation links |
| <noframes> | Not supported in HTML5. Defines an alternate content for users that do not support frames |
| <noscript> | Defines an alternate content for users that do not support client-side scripts |
| <object> | Defines a container for an external application |
| <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 (<video> and <audio>) |
| <span> | Defines a section in a document |
| <strike> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <del> or <s> instead. Defines strikethrough text |
| <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 (<video> and <audio>) |
| <tt> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines teletype text |
| <u> | Defines some text that is unarticulated and styled differently from normal text |
| <ul> | Defines an unordered list |
| <var> | Defines a variable |
| <video> | Defines embedded video content |
| <wbr> | Defines a possible line-break |
Basic HTML
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <!DOCTYPE> | Defines the document type |
| <html> | Defines an HTML document |
| <head> | Contains metadata/information for the document |
| <title> | Defines a title for the document |
| <body> | Defines the document’s body |
| <h1> to <h6> | Defines HTML headings |
| <p> | Defines a paragraph |
| <br> | Inserts a single line break |
| <hr> | Defines a thematic change in the content |
| <!–…–> | Defines a comment |
Formatting
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <acronym> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <abbr> instead. Defines an acronym |
| <abbr> | Defines an abbreviation or an acronym |
| <address> | Defines contact information for the author/owner of a document/article |
| <b> | Defines bold text |
| <bdi> | Isolates a part of text that might be formatted in a different direction from other text outside it |
| <bdo> | Overrides the current text direction |
| <big> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines big text |
| <blockquote> | Defines a section that is quoted from another source |
| <center> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines centered text |
| <cite> | Defines the title of a work |
| <code> | Defines a piece of computer code |
| <del> | Defines text that has been deleted from a document |
| <dfn> | Specifies a term that is going to be defined within the content |
| <em> | Defines emphasized text |
| <font> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines font, color, and size for text |
| <i> | Defines a part of text in an alternate voice or mood |
| <ins> | Defines a text that has been inserted into a document |
| <kbd> | Defines keyboard input |
| <mark> | Defines marked/highlighted text |
| <meter> | Defines a scalar measurement within a known range (a gauge) |
| <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 |
| <small> | Defines smaller text |
| <strike> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <del> or <s> instead. Defines strikethrough text |
| <strong> | Defines important text |
| <sub> | Defines subscripted text |
| <sup> | Defines superscripted text |
| <template> | Defines a container for content that should be hidden when the page loads |
| <time> | Defines a specific time (or datetime) |
| <tt> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Defines teletype text |
| <u> | Defines some text that is unarticulated and styled differently from normal text |
| <var> | Defines a variable |
| <wbr> | Defines a possible line-break |
Forms and Input
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <form> | Defines an HTML form for user input |
| <input> | Defines an input control |
| <textarea> | Defines a multiline input control (text area) |
| <button> | Defines a clickable button |
| <select> | Defines a drop-down list |
| <optgroup> | Defines a group of related options in a drop-down list |
| <option> | Defines an option in a drop-down list |
| <label> | Defines a label for an <input> element |
| <fieldset> | Groups related elements in a form |
| <legend> | Defines a caption for a <fieldset> element |
| <datalist> | Specifies a list of pre-defined options for input controls |
| <output> | Defines the result of a calculation |
Frames
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <frame> | Not supported in HTML5. Defines a window (a frame) in a frameset |
| <frameset> | Not supported in HTML5. Defines a set of frames |
| <noframes> | Not supported in HTML5. Defines an alternate content for users that do not support frames |
| <iframe> | Defines an inline frame |
Images
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <img> | Defines an image |
| <map> | Defines a client-side image map |
| <area> | Defines an area inside an image map |
| <canvas> | Used to draw graphics, on the fly, via scripting (usually JavaScript) |
| <figcaption> | Defines a caption for a <figure> element |
| <figure> | Specifies self-contained content |
| <picture> | Defines a container for multiple image resources |
| <svg> | Defines a container for SVG graphics |
Audio / Video
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <audio> | Defines sound content |
| <source> | Defines multiple media resources for media elements (<video>, <audio> and <picture>) |
| <track> | Defines text tracks for media elements (<video> and <audio>) |
| <video> | Defines a video or movie |
Links
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <a> | Defines a hyperlink |
| <link> | Defines the relationship between a document and an external resource (most used to link to style sheets) |
| <nav> | Defines navigation links |
Lists
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <menu> | Defines an alternative unordered list |
| <ul> | Defines an unordered list |
| <ol> | Defines an ordered list |
| <li> | Defines a list item |
| <dir> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <ul> instead. Defines a directory list |
| <dl> | Defines a description list |
| <dt> | Defines a term/name in a description list |
| <dd> | Defines a description of a term/name in a description list |
Tables
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <table> | Defines a table |
| <caption> | Defines a table caption |
| <th> | Defines a header cell in a table |
| <tr> | Defines a row in a table |
| <td> | Defines a cell in a table |
| <thead> | Groups the header content in a table |
| <tbody> | Groups the body content in a table |
| <tfoot> | Groups the footer content in a table |
| <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 |
Styles and Semantics
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <style> | Defines style information for a document |
| <div> | Defines a section in a document |
| <span> | Defines a section in a document |
| <header> | Defines a header for a document or section |
| <hgroup> | Defines a header and related content |
| <footer> | Defines a footer for a document or section |
| <main> | Specifies the main content of a document |
| <section> | Defines a section in a document |
| <search> | Defines a search section |
| <article> | Defines an article |
| <aside> | Defines content aside from the page content |
| <details> | Defines additional details that the user can view or hide |
| <dialog> | Defines a dialog box or window |
| <summary> | Defines a visible heading for a <details> element |
| <data> | Adds a machine-readable translation of a given content |
Meta Info
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <head> | Defines information about the document |
| <meta> | Defines metadata about an HTML document |
| <base> | Specifies the base URL/target for all relative URLs in a document |
| <basefont> | Not supported in HTML5. Use CSS instead. Specifies a default color, size, and font for all text in a document |
Programming
| Tag | Description |
|---|---|
| <script> | Defines a client-side script |
| <noscript> | Defines an alternate content for users that do not support client-side scripts |
| <applet> | Not supported in HTML5. Use <embed> or <object> instead. Defines an embedded applet |
| <embed> | Defines a container for an external resource |
| <object> | Defines a container for an external resource |
| <param> | Defines a parameter for an object |
