HTML: The Definitive Guide

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B. 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.

As with the other sections of this book, we use the Netscape and Microsoft icons to the far right of each item to show which browser supports that tag or attribute. If no icon is shown, the tag or attribute is part of the HTML 3.2 standard and is supported by both browsers.

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.

<a> ... </a>

Create a hyperlink anchor (href attribute) or fragment identifier (name attribute)

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

href=url

Specify the URL of a hyperlink target (required if not a name anchor)

 

name=name

Specify the name of a fragment identifier (required if not a hypertext reference anchor)

 

onclick=applet

Specify an applet to run when user clicks on the image

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

onmouseout=applet

Specify an applet to run when the mouse leaves the image

(Netscape)

onmouseover=applet

Specify an applet to run when the mouse enters the image

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

rel=relationship

Indicate the relationship from this document to the target

 

rev=relationship

Indicate the reverse relationship of the target to this document

 

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

target=name

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

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

title=string

Provide a title for the target document

 

<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

 

archive=url

Specify a class archive to be downloaded to the browser and then searched for code class

(Netscape)

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

 

mayscript

If present, allows the applet to access JavaScript within the page

(Netscape)

name=name

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

 

title=string

Provide a title for the applet

(Internet Explorer)

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

 

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

Do not include this area in the tabbing order

(Internet Explorer)

onmouseout=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the mouse leaves this area

(Netscape)

onmouseover=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the mouse enters this area

(Netscape)

shape=shape

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

 

taborder=n

Specify this area's position in the tabbing order

(Internet Explorer)

target=name

Specify the frame or window to receive the document linked by this area

(Netscape)

title=string

Provide a title for this area

(Internet Explorer)

<b> ... </b>

Format the enclosed text using a bold typeface

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<base>

Specify the base URL for all relative URLs in this document

 

href=url

Specify the base URL (required)

 

target=name

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

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<basefont>

Specify the font size for subsequent text

 

color=color

Specify the base font's color

(Internet Explorer)

name=name

Specify local font to be used for the base font

(Internet Explorer)

size=value

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

 

<bgsound>

Define background audio for the document

(Internet Explorer)

loop=value

Set the number of times to play the audio; value may be an integer or the value infinite

(Internet Explorer)

src=url

Provide the URL of the audio file to be played

(Internet Explorer)

<big> ... </big>

Format the enclosed text using a bigger typeface

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<blink> ... </blink>

Cause the enclosed content to blink

(Netscape)

<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

(Internet Explorer)

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

leftmargin=value

Set the size, in pixels, of the document's left margin

(Internet Explorer)

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

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

onfocus=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the mouse enters the document window

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

onload=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the document is loaded

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

onunload=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the document is unloaded

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

text=color

Set the color of regular text in the document

 

topmargin=value

Set the size, in pixels, of the document's top margin

(Internet Explorer)

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, none, 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.

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

valign=position

Set the vertical position of the caption to either top or bottom

(Internet Explorer)

<center> ... </center>

Center the enclosed text

 

<cite> ... </cite>

The enclosed text is a citation

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<code> ... </code>

The enclosed text is a code sample

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<col>

Define a column within a <colgroup>

(Internet Explorer)

align=position

Set the column alignment to left, center, or right

(Internet Explorer)

span=n

Define the number of columns affected by this <col> tag

(Internet Explorer)

<colgroup>

Define a column group within a table

(Internet Explorer)

align=position

Set the horizontal alignment of text within the columns to either left, center, or right

(Internet Explorer)

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Internet Explorer)

span=n

Define the number of columns in the group

(Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Internet Explorer)

valign=position

Set the vertical alignment of text within the columns to either top, middle, or bottom

(Internet Explorer)

width=n

Set the width, in pixels or as a percentage, of each column in the group

(Internet Explorer)

<comment> ... </comment>

Place a comment in the document. Comments will be visible in all other browsers.

(Internet Explorer)

<dd> ... </dd>

Define the definition portion of an element in a definition list

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<dfn> ... </dfn>

Format the enclosed text as a definition

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<dir> ... </dir>

Create a directory list containing <li> tags

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

compact

Make the list more compact if possible

 

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

type=bullet

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

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<div> ... </div>

Create a division within a document

 

align=type

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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

lang=name

Specify the language used for this division

(Internet Explorer)

nowrap

Suppress word wrapping within this division

(Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<dl> ... </dl>

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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

compact

Make the list more compact if possible

 

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<dt> ... </dt>

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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<em> ... </em>

Format the enclosed text with additional emphasis

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<embed>

Embed an application in a document

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

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

(Netscape)

border=n

Specify the size, in pixels, of the border around the applet

(Netscape)

height=n

Specify the height, in pixels, of the applet

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

hidden

If present, hide the applet on the page

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

hspace=n

Define, in pixels, additional space to be placed to the left and right of the applet

(Netscape)

name=name

Provide a name for the applet

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

palette=value

In Netscape, a value of foreground causes the applet to use the foreground palette in Windows only; background uses the background palette. In Internet Explorer, provides the foreground and background colors for the applet, specified as two color values separated by a vertical bar (|)

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

pluginspage=url

Provides the URL of the page containing instructions for installing the plug-in associated with the applet

(Netscape)

src=url

Supplies the URL of the data to be fed to the applet

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

type=type

Specifies the MIME type of the plug-in to be used

(Netscape)

units=type

Set the units for the height and width attributes to either pixels (the default) or en (half the text point size)

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

vspace=n

Define, in pixels, additional space to be placed above and below the applet

(Netscape)

width=n

Specify the width, in pixels, of the applet

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<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

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

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)

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

enctype=encoding

Specify how the form element values will be encoded

 

method=style

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

 

name=name

Supply a name for this form for use by JavaScript

(Netscape)

onreset=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the form is reset

(Netscape)

onsubmit=applet

Specify an applet to be run when the form is submitted

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

target=name

Specify the name of the frame or window to receive the results of the form after submission

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<frame> ... </frame>

Define a frame within a frameset

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

bordercolor=color

Set the color of the frame's border to color

(Netscape)

frameborder=n

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.

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

marginheight=n

Place n pixels of space above and below the frame contents

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

marginwidth=n

Place n pixels of space to the left and right of the frame contents

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

name=name

Define the name of the frame

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

noresize

Disable user resizing of the frame

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

scrolling=type

Always add scrollbars (yes), never add scrollbars (no), or for Netscape only, add scrollbars when needed (auto)

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

src=url

Define the URL of the source document for this frame

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<frameset> ... </frameset>

Define a collection of frames or other framesets

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

border=n

Set the thickness of the frame borders in this frameset

(Netscape)

bordercolor=color

Define the color of the borders in this frameset

(Netscape)

cols=list

Specify the number and width of frames within a frameset

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

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.

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

framespacing=n

Define the thickness of the frame borders in this frameset

(Internet Explorer)

onblur=applet

Define an applet to be run when the mouse leaves this frameset

(Netscape)

onfocus=applet

Define an applet to be run when the mouse enters this frameset

(Netscape)

onload=applet

Define an applet to be run when this frameset is loaded

(Netscape)

onunload=applet

Define an applet to be run when this frameset is removed from the display

(Netscape)

rows=list

Specify the number and height of frames within a frameset

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of the heading

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of the rule

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

color=color

Define the color of the rule

(Internet Explorer)

noshade

Do not use 3D shading to render the rule

 

size=pixels

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

 

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

<iframe> ... </iframe>

Define an inline frame

(Internet Explorer)

align=position

Set the position of the frame aligned to the top, center, or bottom of the surrounding text, or flush against the left or right margins with subsequent text flowing around the frame

(Internet Explorer)

frameborder=value

If value is 1, enable frame borders. If value is 0, disable frame borders.

(Internet Explorer)

height=n

Set the height, in pixels, of the frame

(Internet Explorer)

marginheight=n

Place n pixels of space above and below the frame contents

(Internet Explorer)

marginwidth=n

Place n pixels of space to the left and right of the frame contents

(Internet Explorer)

name=name

Define the name of the frame

(Internet Explorer)

scrolling=type

Always add scrollbars (yes) or never add scrollbars (no)

(Internet Explorer)

src=url

Define the URL of the source document for this frame

(Internet Explorer)

width=n

Set the width, in pixels, of the frame

(Internet Explorer)

<ilayer> ... </ilayer>

Define an inline layer

(Netscape)

above=name

Place this layer above the named layer

(Netscape)

background=url

Specify a background image for the layer

(Netscape)

below=name

Place this layer below the named layer

(Netscape)

bgcolor=color

Specify the background color for the layer

(Netscape)

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape)

clip=edge

Define the layer's clipping region, in pixels. If left and top are 0, they may be omitted

(Netscape)

left=n

Define, in pixels, the position of the layer's left edge from the containing line of text

(Netscape)

name=name

Provide a name for the layer

(Netscape)

src=url

Supply the content of the layer from another document

(Netscape)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape)

top=n

Define, in pixels, the position of the layer's top edge from the containing line of text

(Netscape)

visibility=value

Determine whether to show the layer, hide the layer, or inherit the visibility attribute from a containing layer

(Netscape)

width=n

Define the width, in pixels, of the layer

(Netscape)

z-index=n

Specify the layer's position in the stacking order

(Netscape)

<img>

Insert an image into the current text flow

 

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 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

 

class=name

Specify a style class controlling the appearance of this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

controls

Add playback controls for embedded video clips

(Internet Explorer)

dynsrc=url

Specify the URL of a video clip to be displayed

(Internet Explorer)

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

(Internet Explorer)

lowsrc=url

Specify a low-resolution image to be loaded by the browser first, followed by the image specified by the src attribute

(Netscape)

name=name

Provide a name for the image for use by JavaScript

(Netscape)

onabort=applet

Provide an applet to be run if the loading of the image is aborted

(Netscape)

onerror=applet

Provide an applet to be run if the loading of the image is unsuccessful

(Netscape)

onload=applet

Provide an applet to be run if the loading of the image is successful

(Netscape)

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

(Internet Explorer)

style=style

Specify an inline style for this tag

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

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>

Create a checkbox input element within a <form>

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

name=name

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

(Netscape) (Internet Explorer)

notab

Specifies that this element is not part of the tabbing order

(Internet Explorer)

onclick=applet

Specify an applet to be run if