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List of HTML Commands

The document lists HTML commands and provides brief descriptions and guidance on when to use each one. It discusses tags such as <a> for links, <blockquote> for quoted text blocks, <form> for input forms, <p> for paragraphs, and <table> for tabular data. The document recommends using tags that convey semantic meaning rather than purely presentation tags, and avoiding obsolete tags.

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Jireh Joy Rosqueta
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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58 views

List of HTML Commands

The document lists HTML commands and provides brief descriptions and guidance on when to use each one. It discusses tags such as <a> for links, <blockquote> for quoted text blocks, <form> for input forms, <p> for paragraphs, and <table> for tabular data. The document recommends using tags that convey semantic meaning rather than purely presentation tags, and avoiding obsolete tags.

Uploaded by

Jireh Joy Rosqueta
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LIST OF HTML COMMANDS

Tag <a> What it is Anchor (most commonly a link) When to use it Vital. Use to create links in content. Use the title attribute whenever the contents of the <a></a> pair do not accurately describe what youll get from selecting the link. Title attribute often displays as a tooltip in visual browsers, which may be a helpful usability aid. <abbr> Defines an abbreviation Works in a similar way to <dfn> and<acronym>, using a title attribute (displays a tooltip in standard visual browsers). e.g. <abbr title=Hypertext markup language>HTML</abbr> <ACRONYM> Defines an acronym <ADDRESS> Works in a similar way to <abbr>and <dfn>, using a title attribute (displays a tooltip in standard visual browsers).

Used for marking Not commonly used. Recommend looking into microformats, up a physical (e.g. mailing) address which allow for more detail and interoperability.

<APPLET>

Inserts a Java applet

The old way to insert a Java app. Use<object> instead today.

<AREA>

Hotspot in image Avoid image maps where possible. Occasionally necessary. map

<BASE>

Specifies the base location of the document.

Use only when necessary. Adjusts any relative links and paths within the document.

<BASEFONT>

Sets default font size

Display info never use it

<BIG>

Larger text

Display info never use it

<BLINK>

Makes text blink

You go to hell if you use this

<BLOCKQUOTE>

Large quoted block of text

Use for any quoted text that constitutes one or more paragraphs (note: should contain <p> tags as well). Use <q> for quotations within a paragraph. Often used in conjunction with <cite> to cite the quotations source.

<BODY>

Document body

Essential (unless youre using frames)

<BR>

Line break

This is arguably display information. Still in common use, but use with restraint.

<B>

Bold text

Display info never use it Often better than <input type=button /> or <input type=submit />, as it allows you to assign different styles based on the HTML element alone, whereas differentiating style based on the type of input is less well supported.

<BUTTON>

Used for a standard clickable button within a form

<CAPTION>

Caption for a table: describes the tables contents

The correct way to assign a title to a table

<CENTER>

Centred block

Display info never use it. Use<div> or some other block-level tag with the style text-align:center instead Defines the source of a quotation (in conjunction with content in <q> or<blockquote> pairs).

<CITE>

Defines a citation

<CODE>

Defines an extract of code

Not commonly used. Similar to<pre> tag, but collapses consecutive white spaces and line breaks in the source.

<COL>

Identifies a particular column in a table

Can be very useful. e.g. <col class=namecol> can be applied to each first column in a series of tables, then the width of each column may be set to be equal in the stylesheet, overriding the tables natural tendency to adjust its own column widths to fit its contents.

<DFN>

Definition of a term

Works in a similar way to <abbr>and <acronym>, using a titleattribute (displays a tooltip in standard visual browsers).

<DIR>

Directory list

Now deprecated. Use a standard<ul> or other list instead.

<DIV>

Division

Specifies a logical division within a document. Use it to separate or identify chunks of content that are not otherwise distinguished naturally using other tags. One of the most common HTML tags.

<DL>

Definition list

Contains one or more definition-term / definition-description pairs.

<DT>

Definition term

Used as part of a <dt></dt><dd></dd> pair within a definition list (<dl></dl>)

<DD>

Definition description

<EM>

Emphasis

Commonly used in place of the old<i> (italics) tag to indicate emphasis (but less than <strong>) Display info never use it

<FONT>

Font settings

<FORM>

Input form

Essential for data input

<H1>

Level 1 header

Aim to have one H1 on each page, containing a description of what the page is about.

<H2>

Level 2 header

Defines a section of the page

<H3>

Level 3 header

Defines a sub-section of the page (should always follow an H2 in the logical hierarchy)

<H4>

Level 4 header

Etc. Less commonly used

<H5>

Level 5 header

Less commonly used. Only complex academic documents will break down to this level of detail.

<H6>

Level 6 header

Less commonly used

<HEAD>

Document head

Essential. Contains information about a page that does not constitute content to be communicated as part of the page.

<HR>

Horizontal rule

Display info with no semantic value never use it. Horizontal, by definition, is a visual attribute.

<HTML>

Core element of every web page. Vital. Always use the alt or longdescattributes when the image has content value Vital. (I prefer to use <button> for buttons and submit buttons though)

<IMG >

Show an image

<INPUT>

Input fields within forms

<ISINDEX>

Old type of search input

Not really used any more. Use<form> instead.

<I>

Italicised text

Display info never use it

<KBD>

Keyboard input

Display info never use it

<LINK>

Defines a relationship to another document

Commonly used to reference external stylesheets, but has other minor uses

<LI>

List item

Specifies an item in an unordered or ordered list (<ul> or <ol>) May have occasional value, but only use when absolutely necessary See <blink>

<MAP>

Client-side imagemap

<MARQUEE>

Makes text scroll across the

screen <MENU>

Menu item list

Deprecated. Do not use. Use other standard list types instead.

<META>

Meta-information Useful way to insert relevant information into the <head> section of the page that does not need to be displayed.

<OL>

Ordered list

Type of list where the order of elements has some meaning. Generally rendered with item numbers (best managed with CSS).

<OPTION>

Selection list option

Vital for options within a drop-down control.

<PARAM>

Parameter for Java applet

Used in conjunction with an<object> or <applet> tag to pass additional setting information at runtime.

<PRE>

Preformatted text

Renders text in a pre-formatted style, preserving line breaks and all spaces present in the source. May be useful. (This ones a paradox, as it is strictly display info that applies only to visual browsing, but its still so commonly used and useful that Im hesitant to advise against using it.)

<P>

Paragraph

Only use to denote a paragraph of text. Never use for spacing alone.

<Q>

Short quotation

Use for inline quotations (whereas<blockquote> should be used for quotations of a paragraph or more). Often used in conjunction with<cite> to cite the quotations source.

<SAMP>

Denotes sample output text

Similar to the <code> tag. Rarely used. Avoid.

<SCRIPT>

Inline script (e.g. JavaScript)

Its better to have all scripts as separate files than to write inline or in the <head> section, however still has its uses.

<SELECT>

Selection list

A drop-down selector for a form.

<SMALL>

Smaller text

Display info never use it Use to apply meaning (and style) to a span of text that goes with the flow of content (whereas a <div> tag is block-level and breaks the flow) Display info never use it Use this instead of the old <b> tag.

<SPAN>

An inline span within text

<Strikeout>

<STRONG>

Strong emphasis

<STYLE>

CSS style settings

Normally used in <head> section of a page. Try to use external stylesheets, to enable you to apply different styles for different output media. Arguably display info recommend using alternative tags (e.g. <cite>). May be required in some academic uses, e.g. Chemical formulas.

<SUB>

Subscript text

<SUP>

Superscript text

<TABLE>

Table

Use for repeated data that has a naturally tabular form. Never use for layout purposes.

<TD>

Table data cell

A cell containing actual data. If a cell actually contains a descriptor or identifier for a row or column, use a<th> (table header) tag, not a<td>. This usually applies to column headers (within a <thead>), column footers (within a <tfoot>), as well as row headers (usually the first cell in a row in the <tbody>).

<TEXTAREA>

Multi-line text input area in a form

Essential

<TH>

Table column or row header cell

May appear in a <thead> (to denote a column header cell), <tbody> (to denote a row header), and in<tfoot> (to denote a column foot cell, e.g. a total) It is always worth using this tag, as well as using <thead> and <tfoot>where appropriate. Note that it is permissible to have more than one <tbody>, <thead>, and <tfoot> in the same table.

<TBODY>

Indicates the main body of a data table

<THEAD>

The head section of a table

The place to put column header cells (<th>)

<TFOOT>

The foot section of a table

Good place to put e.g. summary data, such as totals. Note that it goes before the <tbody> tag!

<TITLE>

Document title

Essential

<TR>

Table row

Essential with tables

<TT>

Teletype simulates typewriter output

Similar to <pre>, except that it collapses white space like normal HTML (whereas <pre> leaves all consecutive white space intact). Avoid if possible

<UL>

Unordered list

Essential. Use for lists where the order or items has no particular importance.

<U>

Underline text

Display info never use it

<VAR>

Variable in computer code

Obscure tag, may only be useful in academic documents. Avoid.

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