HTML: The Definitive Guide

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HTML Tag Quick Reference

In the following table, we list in alphabetical order all the known and some undocumented HTML tags and attributes currently supported by one or more of today's browsers.

You will notice a minus sign (-) in the far right column of certain tags and attributes. These indicate tags not supported by Netscape.

We include each tag's possible attributes (some required) indented below their respective tags. In the description, we give possible attribute values as either a range of integer numbers or a definitive list of options, where possible.

Some tag and attribute names are abbreviated forms of longer names; the expansion of these names appear in square brackets in the tag or attribute description.

<a> ... </a>

[Anchor] Create a hyperlink (href attribute) or fragment identifier (name attribute)

 
href=url

[Hypertext Reference] Specify the URL of a hyperlink target (required if not a name anchor)

 
methods=list

Specify a comma-separated list of browser-dependent presentation methods

 
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

 
target=name

Define the name of the frame or window to receive the referenced document

 
title=string

Provide a title for the target document

 
urn=urn

Specify the location-independent [Universal Resource Name] for this hyperlink

 
<address> ... </address>

The enclosed text is an address

 
<applet> ... </applet>

Define an executable applet within a text flow

 
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

 
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 allow to the left and right of the <applet> region

 
name=string

Specify the name of this particular instance of the <applet>

 
vspace=n

Specify additional space, in pixels, to allow above and below the <applet> region

 
width=n

Specify the width, in pixels, of the <applet> region

 
<area>

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

 
coords=list

Specify a comma-separated list of shape-dependent [coordinates] that define the edge of this area

 
href=url

[Hypertext Reference] 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

 
shape=shape

Define the region's shape to be either circ, circle, poly, polygon, rect, or rectangle

 
<b> ... </b>

Format the enclosed text using a [bold] typeface

 
<base>

Specify the base URL for all relative URLs in this document

 
href=url

[Hypertext Reference] Specify the base URL (required)

 
target=name

Define the default target of all <a> links in the document

 
<basefont>

Specify the font size for subsequent text

 
size=value

Set the basefont size of 1 to 7 (required; default is 3)

 
<bgsound>

Define background audio for the document (Internet Explorer only)

-
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>

Format the enclosed text using a bigger typeface

 

<blockquote> ... </blockquote>

The enclosed text is a block quotation

 
<body> ... </body>

Delimit the beginning and end of the document body

 
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

With value 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

 
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>

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

 
clear=margin

Break the flow and move downward until the desired margin, either left, right, or all, is clear

 
<caption> ... </caption>

Define a caption for a table

 
align=position

For Netscape, set the vertical position of the caption to either top or bottom. For Internet Explorer, set the horizontal alignment of the caption to either left, center, or right.

 
valign=position

For Internet Explorer, set the vertical position of the caption to either top or bottom

-
<center> ... </center>

Center the enclosed text

 
<cite> ... </cite>

The enclosed text is a [Citation]

 
<code> ... </code>

The enclosed text is a code sample

 
<comment> ... </comment>

For Internet Explorer only, place a comment in the document. Comments will be visible in all other browsers.

-
<dd> ... </dd>

[Definition Definition] Define the definition portion of an element in a definition list

 
<dfn> ... </dfn>

Format the enclosed text as a [definition]

 
<div> ... </div>

[Division] Create a division within a document

 
align=type

Align the text within the division to left, center, or right

 
<dir> ... </dir>

Create a [Directory] list containing <li> tags

 
compact

Make the list more compact if possible

 
<dl> ... </dl>

Create a [definition list] containing <dt> and <dd> tags

 
compact

Make the list more compact if possible

 
<dt> ... </dt>

Define the [definition term] portion of an element in a definition list

 
<em> ... </em>

Format the enclosed text with additional [emphasis]

 
<font> ... </font>

Set the size or color of the enclosed text

 
color=color

Set the color of the enclosed text to the desired color

 
face=list

Set the typeface of the enclosed text to the first available font in the comma-separated list of font names

-
size=value

Set the size to absolute size 1 to 7, or relative to the <basefont> size using +n or -n (required)

 
<form> ... </form>

Delimit a form

 
action=url

Specify the URL of the application that will process the form (required)

 
enctype=encoding

[Encoding Type] Specify how the form element values will be encoded

 
method=style

Specify the parameter-passing style, either get or post (required)

 
<frame> ... </frame>

Define a frame within a frameset

 
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

 
<frameset> ... </frameset>

Define a collection of frames or other framesets

 
cols=list

Specify the number and width of frames within a frameset

 
rows=list

Specify the number and height of frames within a frameset

 
<hn> ... </hn>

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

 
align=type

Specify the heading alignment as either left (default), center, or right

 
<head> ... </head>

Delimit the beginning and end of the document head

 
<hr>

Break the current text flow and insert a [horizontal rule]

 
align=type

Specify the rule alignment as either left, center (default), or right

 
noshade

Do not use 3D shading to render the rule

 
size=pixels

Set the thickness of the rule to an integer number of pixels

 
width=value or %

Set the width of the rule to either an integer number of pixels or a percentage of the page width

 
<html> ... </html>

Delimit the beginning and end of the entire [HyperText Markup Language] document

 
version=string

Indicate the HTML version used to create this document

 
<i> ... </i>

Format the enclosed text in an [italic] typeface

 
<img>

Insert an [image] into the current text flow

 
align=type

For Mosaic and Internet Explorer, align the image to either the top, middle, bottom (default), left, or right of the text in the line. For Netscape Navigator, additionally to the absmiddle, baseline, or absbottom of the text.

 
alt=text

Provide alternative text for non-image-capable browsers

 
border=n

Set the pixel thickness of the border around images contained within hyperlinks

 
controls

Internet Explorer only, 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 scan lines

 
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

 
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)

 
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=checkbox>

Create a checkbox input element within a <form>

 
checked

Mark the element as initially selected

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter to be passed to the form-processing application if the input element is selected (required)

 
value=string

Specify the value of the parameter sent to the form-processing application if this form element is selected (required)

 
<input type=file>

Create a file-selection element within a <form>

 
maxlength=n

Specify the maximum number of characters to accept for this element

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter that is passed to the form-processing application for this input element (required)

 
size=n

Specify the number of characters to display for this element

 
<input type=hidden>

Create a hidden element within a <form>

 
maxlength=n

Specify the maximum number of characters to accept for this element

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter that is passed to the form-processing application for this input element (required)

 
size=n

Specify the number of characters to display for this element

 
value=string

Specify the value of this element that is passed to the form-processing application

 
<input type=image>

Create an image input element within a <form>

 
align=type

Align the image to either the top, middle, or bottom of the form element's text

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter to be passed to the form-processing application for this input element (required)

 
src=url

Specify the [source] URL of the image (required)

 
<input type=password>

Create a content-protected text-input element within a <form>

 
maxlength=n

Specify the maximum number of characters to accept for this element

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter to be passed to the form-processing application for this input element (required)

 
size=n

Specify the number of characters to display for this element

 
value=string

Specify the initial value for this element

 
<input type=radio>

Create a radio-button input element within a <form>

 
checked

Mark the element as initially selected

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter that is passed to the form-processing application if this input element is selected (required)

 
value=string

Specify the value of the parameter that is passed to the form-processing application if this element is selected (required)

 
<input type=reset>

Create a reset button within a <form>

 
value=string

Specify an alternate label for the reset button (default is ``Reset'')

 
<input type=submit>

Create a submit button within a <form>

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter that is passed to the form-processing application for this input element (required)

 
value=string

Specify an alternate label for the submit button, as well as the value passed to the form-processing application for this parameter if this button is clicked

 
<input type=text>

Create a text input element within a <form>

 
maxlength=n

Specify the maximum number of characters to accept for this element

 
name=string

Specify the name of the parameter that is passed to the form-processing application for this input element (required)

 
size=n

Specify the number of characters to display for this element

 
value=string

Specify the initial value for this element

 
<isindex>

Create a ``searchable'' HTML document

 
action=url

For Internet Explorer only, provide the URL of the program that will perform the searching action

 
prompt=string

Provide an alternate prompt for the input field

 
<kbd> ... </kbd>

The enclosed text is [keyboard]-like input

 
<li> ... </li>

Delimit a [list item] in an ordered (<ol>) or unordered (<ul>) list

 
type=format

Set the type of this list element to the desired format. For <li> within <ol>: A (capital letters), a (lowercase letters), I (capital Roman numerals), i (lowercase Roman numerals), or 1 (Arabic numerals; default). For <li> within <ul>: circle, disc (default), or square.

 
value=n

Set the number for this list item to n

 
<link>

Define a link between this document and another document in the document <head>

 
href=url

Specify the [hypertext reference] URL of the target document

 
methods=list

Specify a browser-dependent list of comma-separated display methods for this link

 
rel=relation

Indicate the relationship from this document to the target

 
rev=relation

Indicate the [reverse] relationship from the target to this document

 
title=string

Provide a title for the target document

 
urn=urn

Provide the location-independent [Universal Resource Name] for the target document

 
<listing> ... </listing>

Same as <pre width=132> ... </pre>; deprecated: don't use

 
<map> ... </map>

Define a map containing hotspots in a client-side image map

 
name=string

Define the name of this map (required)

 
<marquee> ... </marquee>

Create a scrolling-text marquee (Internet Explorer only)

-
align=position

Align the marquee to the top, middle, or bottom of the surrounding text

-
behavior=style

Define marquee style to be scroll, slide, or alternate

-
bgcolor=color

Set the background color of the marquee

-
direction=dir

Define the direction, left or right, the text is to scroll

-
height=value

Define the height, in pixels, of the marquee area

-
hspace=value

Define the space, in pixels, to be inserted left and right of the marquee

-
loop=value

Set the number of times to animate the marquee; value is an integer or infinite

-
scrollamount=value

Set the number of pixels to move the text for each scroll movement

-
scrolldelay=value

Specify the delay, in milliseconds, between successive movements of the marquee text

-
vspace=value

Define the space, in pixels, to be inserted above and below of the marquee

-
width=value

Define the width, in pixels, of the marquee area

-
<menu> ... </menu>

Define a menu list containing <li> tags

 
compact

Make the list more compact

 
<meta>

Provides additional information about a document

 
content=string

Specify the value for the meta-information (required)

 
http-equiv=string

Specify the [HTTP equivalent] name for the meta-information and cause the server to include the name and content in the HTTP header for this document when it is transmitted to the client

 
name=string

Specify the name of the meta-information

 
<nextid>

Define the labeling start point for automatic document-generation tools

 
n=n

Indicate the starting label number (required)

 
<nobr> ... </nobr>

[No break]s allowed in the enclosed text

 
<noframes> ... </noframes>

Define content to be presented by browsers that do not support frames

 
<ol> ... </ol>

Define an [ordered list] containing numbered (ascending) <li> elements

 
compact

Present the list in a more compact manner

 
start=n

Start numbering the list at n, instead of 1

 
type=format

Set the numbering format for this list to either A (capital letters), a (lowercase letters), I (capital Roman numerals), i (lowercase Roman numerals), or 1 (Ararbic numerals; default)

 
<option> ... </option>

Define an option within a <select> item in a <form>

 
selected

Make this item initially selected

 
value=string

Return the specified value to the form-processing application instead of the <option> contents

 
<p> ... </p>

Start and end a [paragraph]

 
align=type

Align the text within the paragraph to left, center, or right

 
<param> ... </param>

Supply a parameter to a containing <applet>

 
name=string

Define the name of the parameter

 
value=string

Define the value of the parameter

 
<plaintext>

Render the remainder of the document as preformatted plain text

 
<pre> ... </pre>

Render the enclosed text in its original, [preformatted] style, honoring line breaks and spacing verbatim

 
width=n

Size the text, if possible, so that n characters fit across the display window

 
<s> ... </s>

The enclosed text is struck through with a horizontal line

-
<samp> ... </samp>

The enclosed text is a [sample]

 
<select> ... </select>

Define a multiple-choice menu or scrolling list within a <form>, containing one or more <option> tags

 
multiple

Allow user to select more than one <option> within the <select>

 
name=string

Define the name for the selected <option> values that, if selected, are passed to the form-processing application (required)

 
size=n

Display n items using a pulldown menu for size=1 (without multiple specified) and a scrolling list of n items otherwise

 
<small> ... </small>

Format the enclosed text using a smaller typeface

 
<strike> ... </strike>

The enclosed text is struck through with a horizontal line

 
<strong> ... </strong>

Strongly emphasize the enclosed text

 
<sub> ... </sub>

Format the enclosed text as a [subscript]

 
<sup> ... </sup>

Format the enclosed text as a [superscript]

 
<table> ... </table>

Define a table

 
align=position

Align the table either left or right and flow the subsequent text around the table

 
bgcolor=color

Define the background color for the entire table

-
border=n

Create a border n pixels wide

 
bordercolor=color

For Internet Explorer, define the border color for the entire table

-
bordercolordark=color

For Internet Explorer, define the dark border-highlighting color for the entire table

-
bordercolorlight=color

For Internet Explorer, define the light border-highlighting color for the entire table

-
cellpadding=n

Place n pixels of padding around each cell's contents

 
cellspacing=n

Place n pixels of spacing between cells

 
hspace=n

Specify the [horizontal space], in pixels, added at the left and right of the table

 
valign=position

Align text in the table to either the top, center, or right and flow the subsequent text around the table

-
vspace=n

Specify the [vertical space], in pixels, added at the top and bottom of the table

 
width=n

Set the width of the table to n pixels or a percentage of the window width

 
<td> ... </td>

Define a table data cell

 
align=type

Align the cell contents to the left, center, or right

 
bgcolor=color

Define the background color for the cell

-
bordercolor=color

For Internet Explorer, define the border color for the cell

-
bordercolordark=color

For Internet Explorer, define the dark border highlighting color for the cell

-
bordercolorlight=color

For Internet Explorer, define the light border highlighting color for the cell

-
colspan=n

Have this cell straddle n adjacent columns

 
nowrap

Do not automatically wrap and fill text in this cell

 
rowspan=n

Have this cell straddle n adjacent rows

 
valign=type

Vertically align this cell's contents to the top, center, bottom, or baseline of the cell

 
width=n

Set the width of this cell to n pixels or a percentage of the table width

 
<textarea> ... </textarea>

Define a multiline text input area within a <form>; content of the <textarea> tag is the initial, default value

 
cols=n

Display n [columns] of text within the text area

 
name=string

Define the name for the text-area value that is passed to the form-processing application (required)

 
rows=n

Display n rows of text within the text area

 
wrap=style

Set word wrapping within the text area to off, virtual (display wrap, but do not transmit to server), or physical (display and transmit wrap)

 
<th> ... </th>

Define a table header cell

 
align=type

Align the cell contents to the left, center, or right

 
bgcolor=color

Define the background color for the cell

-
bordercolor=color

For Internet Explorer, define the border color for the cell

-
bordercolordark=color

For Internet Explorer, define the dark border-highlighting color for the cell

-
bordercolorlight=color

For Internet Explorer, define the light border-highlighting color for the cell

-
colspan=n

Have this cell straddle n adjacent columns

 
nowrap

Do not automatically wrap and fill text in this cell

 
rowspan=n

Have this cell straddle n adjacent rows

 
valign=type

Vertically align this cell's contents to the top, center, bottom, or baseline of the cell

 
width=n

Set the width of this cell to n pixels or a percentage of the table width

 
<title> ... </title>

Define the HTML document's title

 
<tr> ... </tr>

Define a row of cells within a table

 
align=type

Align the cell contents in this row to the left, center, or right

 
bgcolor=color

Define the background color for this row

-
border=n

Create a border n pixels wide

 
bordercolor=color

For Internet Explorer, define the border color for this row

-
bordercolordark=color

For Internet Explorer, define the dark border-highlighting color for this row

-
bordercolorlight=color

For Internet Explorer, define the light border-highlighting color for this row

-
valign=type

Vertically align the cell contents in this row to the top, center, bottom, or baseline of the cell

 
<tt> ... </tt>

Format the enclosed text in [teletype]-style (monospaced) font

 
<ul> ... </ul>

Define an [unordered list] of bulleted <li> elements

 
compact

Display the list in a more compact manner

 
type=bullet

Set the bullet style for this list to either circle, disc (default), or square

 
<var> ... </var>

The enclosed text is a [variable]'s name

 
<wbr>

Indicate a potential [word break] point within a <nobr> section

 
<xmp> ... </xmp>

Same as <pre width=80> ... </pre>; deprecated, do not use

 


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