HTML Tag and Attribute Descriptions (Webmaster in a Nutshell, 3rd Edition)

3.2. HTML Tag and Attribute Descriptions

<a> ... </a>

Create a hyperlink (href attribute) or fragment identifier (name attribute) within a document.

Attributes

accesskey=char: Define the hot-key character for this anchor.
charset=encoding: Specify the character set used to encode the target.
coords=list: Specify a list of shape-dependent coordinates.
href=url: Specify the URL of a hyperlink target (required if not a name anchor).
hreflang=language: Specify the language encoding for the target.
name=string: Specify the name of a fragment identifier (required if not a hypertext reference anchor).
rel=relationship: Indicate the relationship from this document to the target.
rev=relationship: Indicate the reverse relationship of the target to this document.
shape=shape: Define the region's shape to be circ, circle, poly, polygon, rect, or rectangle.
tabindex=value: Define the position of this anchor in the document's tabbing order.
target=name: Define the name of the frame or window to receive the referenced document.
type=type: Specify the MIME type of the target.

Example

To create an anchor named info at some point in a document called doc.html, use the <a> tag with the name attribute:

<a name="info" >Information</a>

To provide a hyperlink to that point in doc.html, use the <a> tag with the href attribute appending the anchor name to the filename using a hash mark (#):

<a href="doc.html#info" >Link to information</a>

<abbr>

<abbr> ... </abbr>

The enclosed text is an abbreviation.

<acronym>

<acronym> ... </acronym>

The enclosed text is an acronym.

<address>

<address> ... </address>

The enclosed text is an address.

<applet>

<applet> ... </applet>

Define an executable applet within a text flow.

Attributes

align=position: Align the <applet> region to either the top, middle, bottom (default), left, right, absmiddle, baseline, or absbottom of the text in the line.
alt=string: Specify alternative text to replace the <applet> region within browsers that support the <applet> tag but cannot execute the application.
archive=url: Specify a class archive to be downloaded to the browser and then searched for code class.
class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of the tag.
code=class: Specify the class name of the code to be executed (required).
codebase=url: URL from which the code is retrieved.
height=n: Specify the height, in pixels, of the <applet> region.
hspace=n: Specify additional space, in pixels, to the left and right of the <applet> region.
id=name: Define a name for this applet that is unique to this document.
mayscript: If present, allows the applet to access JavaScript within the page.
name=string: Specify the name of this particular instance of the <applet>.
object=data: Specify a representation of the object's execution state.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Provide a title for the applet.
vspace=n: Specify additional space, in pixels, above and below the <applet> region.
width=n: Specify the width, in pixels, of the <applet> region.

<area>

<area>

Define a mouse-sensitive area in a client-side image map.

Attributes

accesskey=char: Define the hot-key character for this area.
alt=string: Provide alternative text to be displayed by nongraphical browsers.
coords=list: Specify a comma-separated list of shape-dependent coordinates that define the edge of this area.
href=url: Specify the URL of a hyperlink target associated with this area.
nohref: Indicate that no document is associated with this area; clicking in the area has no effect.
notab: This area should not be included in the tabbing order.
onblur=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse leaves the area.
onfocus=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse enters the area.
shape=shape: Define the region's shape to be either circ, circle, poly, polygon, rect, or rectangle.
tabindex=value: Define the position of this area in the document's tabbing order.
taborder=n: Specify this area's position in the tabbing order.
target=name: Specify the frame or window to receive the document linked by this area.

<b>

<b> ... </b>

Format the enclosed text using a bold typeface.

<base>

<base>

Specify the base URL for all relative URLs in this document.

Attributes

href=url: Specify the base URL.
target=name: Define the default target window of all <a> links in the document (mostly used for redirecting a link to other frames). There are four special values _blank, _parent, _self, and _top. These values are described in Chapter 4.

<basefont>

<basefont>

Specify the font size for subsequent text.

Attributes

color=color: Specify the base font's color.
face=name: Specify the local font to be used for the base font.
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique to this document.
name=name: Specify the local font to be used for the base font.
size=value: Set the basefont size from 1 to 7 (required; default is 3).

<bdo>

<bdo> ... </bdo>

Bidirectional override; changes the rendering direction of the enclosed text.

Attributes

class=name: Specify a class style controlling the appearance of this tag.
dir=direction: Specify the rendering direction for text, either left to right (ltr) or right to left (rtl).
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique to this document.
lang=language: Specify the language used for this tag's contents using a standard two-character ISO language name.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Specify a title for this tag.

<bgsound>

<bgsound>

Define background audio for the document.

Attributes

loop=value: Set the number of times to play the audio; value may be an integer or the value infinite.
src=url: Provide the URL of the audio file to be played.

<big>

<big> ... </big>

Format the enclosed text using a bigger typeface.

<blink>

<blink> ... </blink>

Cause the enclosed text to blink.

<blockquote>

<blockquote> ... </blockquote>

The enclosed text is a block quotation.

Attributes

cite=url: Specify the source URL of the quoted material.

<body>

<body> ... </body>

Delimit the beginning and end of the document body.

Attributes

alink=color: Set the color of active hypertext links in the document.
background=url: Specify the URL of an image to be tiled in the document background.
bgcolor=color: Set the background color of the document.
bgproperties=value: When set to fixed, prevent the background image from scrolling with the document content.
leftmargin=value: Set the size, in pixels, of the document's left margin.
link=color: Set the color of unvisited hypertext links in the document.
onblur=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse leaves the document window.
onfocus=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse enters the document window.
onload=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the document is loaded.
onunload=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the document is unloaded.
text=color: Set the color of regular text in the document.
topmargin=value: Set the size, in pixels, of the document's top margin.
vlink=color: Set the color of visited links in the document.

<br>

<br>

Break the current text flow, resuming at the beginning of the next line.

Attributes

class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag.
clear=margin: Break the flow and move downward until the desired margin, either left, right, or all, is clear.
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique to this document.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Specify a title for this tag.

<button>

<button>

Create a push-button element within a <form>.

Attributes

accesskey=char: Define the hot-key character for this button.
disabled: Disable the button, preventing the user from clicking it.
name=name: Specify the name of the parameter to be passed to the form-processing application if the input element is selected (required).
onblur=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse moves out of the button.
onfocus=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse moves into the button.
type=type: Specify the button type, either button, submit, or reset.
tabindex=n: Specify this element's position in the tabbing order.
value=string: Specify the value of the parameter sent to the form-processing application if this form element is selected (required).

<caption>

<caption> ... </caption>

Define a caption for a table.

Attributes

align=position: For Netscape, set the vertical position of the caption to either top or bottom. Default is top, centered. For Internet Explorer, set the horizontal alignment of the caption to either left, center, or right, or the vertical position to top or bottom. The default is top, centered. You cannot set both the horizontal and vertical position with this attribute alone.
valign=position: Set the vertical position of the caption to either top or bottom. Default is top. Use this with a horizontal specification to align to set both vertical and horizontal caption positions.

See Chapter 5 for more information on using tables.

<center>

<center> ... </center>

Center the enclosed text.

<cite>

<cite> ... </cite>

The enclosed text is a citation.

<code>

<code> ... </code>

The enclosed text is a code sample.

<col>

<col>

Set properties for a column (or columns) within a <colgroup> of a table.

Attributes

align=value: Specify alignment of text in the cells of a column. Value can be center, left, or right.
char=character: Specify the alignment character for text in these cells.
charoff=value: Set the offset within the cell at which the alignment character will be placed.
span=n: Specify the number of columns to be affected by the <col> settings.
valign=position: Set the vertical alignment of text within the column to either top, middle, or bottom.
width=n: Set the width of the column, in pixels or as a percentage.

<colgroup>

<colgroup>

Set properties for designated column or columns within a table. Also indicates where vertical rules will be drawn when rules=groups is set in the <table> tag.

Attributes

align=value: Specify alignment of text in the cells of columns in the <colgroup>. Values can be center, left, or right.
char=character: Specify the alignment character for text in these cells.
charoff=value: Set the offset within the cell at which the alignment character will be placed.
span=n: Specify the number of columns in the <colgroup>.
valign=position: Set the vertical alignment of text within the columns to either top, middle, or bottom.
width=n: Set the width, in pixels or as a percentage, of each column in the group.

<comment>

<comment> ... </comment>

Place a comment in the document. Comments will be visible in all other browsers. Comments can be placed within <!-- comment text —> for all browsers.

<dd>

<dd> ... </dd>

Define the definition portion of an element in a definition list.

<del>

<del> ... </del>

Delineate a deleted section of a document.

Attributes

cite=url: Cite a document justifying the deletion.
datetime=date: Specify the date and time of the deletion.

<dfn>

<dfn> ... </dfn>

Format the enclosed text as a definition.

<dir>

<dir> ... </dir>

Create a directory list containing <li> tags.

Attributes

compact: Make the list more compact if possible.
type=bullet: Set the bullet style for this list to either circle, disc (default), or square.

<div>

<div> ... </div>

Create a division within a document.

Attributes

align=type: Align the text within the division to left, center, or right.
nowrap: Suppress word wrapping within this division.

<dl>

<dl> ... </dl>

Create a definition list containing <dt> and <dd> tags.

Attributes

compact: Make the list more compact if possible.

<dt>

<dt> ... </dt>

Define the definition term portion of an element in a definition list.

<em>

<em> ... </em>

Format the enclosed text with additional emphasis.

<embed>

<embed> ... </embed>

Embed an application into the document.

Attributes

align=position: Align the applet area to either the top or bottom of the adjacent text, or to the left or right margin of the page, with subsequent text flowing around the applet.
border=n: Specify the size, in pixels, of the border around the applet.
height=n: Specify the height of the area the embedded object will occupy.
hidden: If present, hide the applet on the page.
hspace=n: Define, in pixels, additional space to be placed to the left and right of the applet.
name=name: Provide a name for the applet.
palette=value: In Netscape, a value of foreground causes the applet to use the foreground palette in Windows only; background uses the background palette. Internet Explorer provides the foreground and background colors for the applet, specified as two color values separated by a vertical bar (|).
pluginspage=url: Provide the URL of the page containing instructions for installing the plug-in associated with the applet.
src=url: Supplies the URL of the data to be fed to the applet.
type=type: Specify the MIME type of the plug-in to be used.
units=type: Set the units for the height and width attributes to either pixels (the default) or en (half the text point size).
vspace=n: Define, in pixels, additional space to be placed above and below the applet.
width=n: Specify the width, in pixels, of the applet.

<fieldset>

<fieldset> ... </fieldset>

Create a group of elements in a form.

<font>

<font> ... </font>

Set the size, color, or typeface of the enclosed text.

Attributes

class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag.
color=color: Set the color of the enclosed text.
dir=dir: Specify the rendering direction for text, either left to right (ltr) or right to left (rtl).
face=list: Set the typeface of the enclosed text to the first available font in the comma-separated list of font names.
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique to this document.
lang=language: Specify the language used for this tag's contents using a standard two-character ISO language name.
size=value: Set the size to an absolute value (1 to 7), or relative to the <basefont> size using +n or -n.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Specify a title for this tag.

<form>

<form> ... </form>

Delimit a form.

Attributes

accept-charset=list: Specify a list of character sets accepted by the server processing this form.
action=url: Specify the URL of the application that will process the form. The default is the current URL.
enctype=encoding: Specify how the form element values will be encoded.
method=style: Specify the parameter-passing style, either get or post. The default is get.
name=name: Supply a name for this form for use by JavaScript.
onreset=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the form is reset.
onsubmit=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the form is submitted.
target=name: Specify the name of a frame or a window to receive the results of the form after submission.

<frame>

<frame> ... </frame>

Define a frame within a frameset.

Attributes

bordercolor=color: Set the color of the frame's border to color.
class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag.
frameborder=value: If value is yes (Netscape only) or 1 (Netscape and Internet Explorer), enable frame borders. If value is no (Netscape only) or 0 (Netscape and Internet Explorer), disable frame borders.
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique in the document.
longdesc=url: Provide the URL of a document describing the contents of this frame.
marginheight=n: Place n pixels of space above and below the frame contents.
marginwidth=n: Place n pixels of space to the left and right of the frame contents.
name=string: Define the name of the frame.
noresize: Disable user resizing of the frame.
scrolling=type: Always add scrollbars (yes), never add scrollbars (no), or add scrollbars when needed (auto).
src=url: Define the URL of the source document for this frame.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Specify a title for this tag.

See Chapter 4 for more information on using frames.

<frameset>

<frameset> ... </frameset>

Define a collection of frames or other framesets.

Attributes

border=n: Set size in pixels of frame borders within a frameset. Default border width is five pixels.
bordercolor=color: Set the color for frame borders in a frameset.
cols=list: Specify the number and width of frames within a frameset.
frameborder=[yes|no]: Enable or disable the displaying of 3D borders or regular borders for frames. The default is yes (3D borders).
frameborder=[1|0]: Enable or disable the displaying of 3D borders for frames within a frameset. The default is 1 (borders on).
framespacing=n: Add additional space between adjacent frames in pixels.
onblur=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse leaves this frameset.
onfocus=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse enters this frameset.
onload=applet: Specify an applet to be run when this frameset is loaded.
onunload=applet: Specify an applet to be run when this frameset is unloaded.
rows=list: Specify the number and height of frames within a frameset.

See Chapter 4 for more information on using frames.

<hn>

<hn> ... </hn>

The enclosed text is a level n header; for level n from 1 to 6.

Attributes

align=type: Specify the heading alignment as either left (default), center, or right.

<head>

<head> ... </head>

Delimit the beginning and end of the document head.

Attributes

dir=dir: Specify the rendering direction for text, either left to right (ltr) or right to left (rtl).
lang=language: Specify the language used for this tag's contents using a standard two-character ISO language name.
profile=url: Provide the URL of a profile for this document.

<hr>

<hr>

Break the current text flow and insert a horizontal rule.

Attributes

align=type: Specify the rule alignment as either left, center (default), or right.
class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of the rule.
color=color: Define the color of the rule.
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique to this document.
noshade: Do not use 3D shading to render the rule.
onclick=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when the mouse button is clicked on this tag.
ondblclick=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when the mouse button is double-clicked on this tag.
onkeydown=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when a key is pressed down while this tag has input focus.
onkeypress=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when a key is pressed and released while this tag has input focus.
onkeyup=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when a key is released while this tag has input focus.
onmousedown=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when a mouse button is pressed down on this tag.
onmousemove=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when the mouse is moved over this tag.
onmouseout=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when the mouse moves out of this tag's display area.
onmouseover=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when the mouse moves into this tag's display area.
onmouseup=applet: Specify an applet to be executed when a mouse button is released while over this tag.
size=pixels: Set the thickness of the rule to an integer number of pixels.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Specify a title for this tag.
width=value: Set the width of the rule to either an integer number of pixels or a percentage of the page width.

<html>

<html> ... </html>

Delimit the beginning and end of the entire HTML document.

Attributes

dir=dir: Specify the rendering direction for text, either left to right (ltr) or right to left (rtl).
lang=language: Specify the language used for this tag's contents using a standard two-character ISO language name.
version=string: Indicate the HTML version used to create this document.

<i>

<i> ... </i>

Format the enclosed text in an italic typeface.

<iframe>

<iframe> ... </iframe>

Define an inline frame.

Attributes

align=type: Align the floating frame to either the top, middle, bottom (default), left, or right of the text in the line.
class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of the frame contents.
frameborder=[1|0]: Enable or disable the display of borders for the frame. Default is 1, which inserts the border. The value 0 turns the border off.
height=n: Specify the height of the frame in pixels or as a percentage of the window size.
id=name: Define a name for this tag that is unique to this document.
longdesc=url: Provide the URL of a document describing the contents of the frame.
marginheight=n: Place n pixels of space above and below the frame contents.
marginwidth=n: Place n pixels of space to the left and right of the frame contents.
name=string: Define the name of the frame.
scrolling=type: Always add scrollbars (yes), never add scrollbars (no), or add scrollbars when needed (auto).
src=url: Define the URL of the source document for this frame.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
title=string: Specify a title for this tag.
width=n: Specify the width of the frame in pixels.

See Chapter 4 for more information on using frames.

<ilayer>

<ilayer> ... </ilayer>

Define an inline layer.

Attributes

above=name: Place this layer above the named layer.
background=url: Specify a background image for the layer.
below=name: Place this layer below the named layer.
bgcolor=color: Specify the background color for the layer.
class=name: Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag.
left=n: Define, in pixels, the position of the layer's left edge from the containing line of text.
name=name: Provide a name for the layer.
src=url: Supply the content of the layer from another document.
style=style: Specify an inline style for this tag.
top=n: Define, in pixels, the position of the layer's top edge from the containing line of text.
visibility=value: Determine whether to show the layer, hide the layer, or inherit the visibility attribute from a containing layer.
width=n: Define the width, in pixels, of the layer.
z-index=n: Specify the layer's position in the stacking order.

<img>

<img>

Insert an image into the current text flow.

Attributes

align=type: Align the image to either the top, middle, bottom (default), left, or right of the text in the line. For Netscape Navigator, additionally align to the texttop, absmiddle, absbottom, or baseline of the text.
alt=text: Provide descriptive text for nonimage-capable browsers, tool tips, telephone browsers, and search engines.
border=n: Set the pixel thickness of the border around images contained within hyperlinks.
controls: Add playback controls for embedded video clips.
dynsrc=url: Specify the URL of a video clip to be displayed.
height=n: Specify the height of the image in pixels.
hspace=n: Specify the space, in pixels, to be added to the left and right of the image.
ismap: Indicate that the image is mouse-selectable when used within an <a> tag.
longdesc=url: Provide the URL of a document describing the image.
loop=value: Set the number of times to play the video; value may be an integer or the value infinite.
lowsrc=url: Specify a low-resolution image to be loaded by the browser first, followed by the image specified by the <src> attribute.
src=url: Specify the source URL of the image to be displayed (required).
name=name: Provide a name for the image for use by JavaScript.
onabort=applet: Provide an applet to be run if the loading of the image is aborted.
onerror=applet: Provide an applet to be run if the loading of the image is unsuccessful.
onload=applet: Provide an applet to be run if the loading of the image is successful.
start=start: Specify when to play the video clip, either fileopen or mouseover.
usemap=url: Specify the map of coordinates and links that define the hypertext links within this image.
vspace=n: Specify the vertical space, in pixels, added at the top and bottom of the image.
width=n: Specify the width of the image in pixels.

<input type=button>

<input type=button>

Create a push-button element within a <form>.

Attributes

accesskey=char: Define the hot-key character for this element.
disabled: Disable this control, making it inactive.
name=name: Specify the name of the parameter to be passed to the form-processing application if the input element is selected (required).
notab: Specify that this element is not part of the tabbing order.
onblur=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse leaves this control.
onfocus=applet: Specify an applet to be run when the mouse enters this control.
tabindex=n: Specify this element's position in the tabbing order.
taborder=n: Specify this element's position in the tabbing order.
value=string: Specify the value of the parameter sent to the form-processing application if the input element is selected (required).

<input type=checkbox>

<input type=checkbox>

Create a checkbox input element within a <form>.