XHTML Reference

Tag	Type	Purpose	Notes
Skeletal tags
<!DOCTYPE>	N/A	Defines the document type	The only tag that breaks the XHTML tag rules: there is no closing <!DOCTYPE> and it's typed in all caps. The attributes used inside the tag indicate which version of html is being used. For more information, go here.
<html></html>	N/A	Defines an html document
<head></head>	N/A	Defines the head element	The head must be closed before the body can begin.
<body></body>	N/A	Defines the body element	(see head, above).
Tags used in the <head>
<title></title>	N/A	Defines the document title.
<meta />>	N/A	Defines meta information.	Meta information can include keywords, descriptions, authors, copyright info, even 'refresh' commands.
<base />	N/A	Defines a base URL for all the links in a page.
<style> <!-- put styles here --> </style>	N/A	Defines in-page CSS.	External CSS pages are linked-to with the <link> tag (see below)
Basic page formatting tags
<p></p>	Block	Defines a paragraph
<h1></h1> <h2></h2> <h3></h3> <h4></h4> <h5></h5> <h6></h6>	Block	Defines a heading.	There are six kinds of headings, h1 being the largest, h6 the smallest. Headings are boldface by default.
<br />	N/A	Inserts a single line break	Note that the old break <br> is no longer valid under XHTML
<hr />	Block	Defines a horizontal rule	I recommend using style sheets to create rules as much as possible. Note that the old horizontal rule <hr> is no longer valid under XHTML.
<div></div>	Block	Defines a section in a document.	Text in a <div> tag behaves much like text in a <p> tag, but without top & bottom margins.
List tags
<ul></ul>	Block	Defines an unordered list	This is a list with bullets.
<ol></ol>	Block	Defines an ordered list	This is a list with numbers (or letters).
<li></li>	Block	Defines a list item	Used with both <ul> and <ol> lists. Every item on a list should be surrounded by <li> tags.
<dl></dl>	Block	Defines a definition list	Definition lists have neither bullets nor numbers.
<dt></dt>	Block	Defines a definition term	Definition terms appear much like paragraphs, but without the top & bottom margins.
<dd></dd>	Block	Defines a definition description	Definition descriptions are indented on the left and also have no extra margins top and bottom.
Character formatting
<span></span>	Inline	Defines a section in a document	Has no visual effect in and of itself; used to attach attributes & styles to inline elements.
<em></em>	Inline	Defines emphasized text	Most browsers italicize text in <em> tags, like this. Use in place of the old <i> tag.
<strong></strong>	Inline	Defines strongly emphasized text	Most browsers display text in <strong> tags as boldface, like this. Use in place of the old <b> tag.
<big></big>	Inline	Defines big text	Most browsers display <big> text as slightly larger that the default font size, like this.
<small></small>	Inline	Defines small text	Most browsers display <small> text as slightly smaller that the default font size, like this.
<sup></sup>	Inline	Defines superscripted text	Superscript is smaller script that rises above the baseline, ^{like this.}
<sub></sub>	Inline	Defines subscripted text	Subscript is smaller script that sinks below the baseline, _{like this.}
Other formatting tags
<blockquote> </blockquote>	Block	Defines a long quotation	Blockqoutes display like paragraphs with left indents. This is a blockquote.
<q></q>	Inline	Defines a short quote	Most browsers will put quotes in quotation marks automatically, like this.
<cite></cite>	Inline	Defines a citation	Citations appear in italics in most browsers. like this.
<address></address>	Block	Defines an address element	Behaves like an italicized paragraph with no default margins. This is an address.
<ins></ins>	Inline	Defines inserted text	<ins> text is usually displayed with an underline, like this.
<del></del>	Inline	Defines deleted text	<del> text is usually displayed with a strikethrough,~~like this.~~
<bdo></bdo>	Inline	Defines the direction of text display	By itself it has no visible effect; must be combined with an attribute. For example, <bdo dir="rtl"> displays text right-to-left: This should be read right to left.
Output
<pre></pre>	Block	Defines preformatted text	Preformatted text appears exactly as it is typed, including multiple spaces: like this.
<code></code>	Inline	Defines computer code text	Typically, a browser will display <code> with the default monospace font, `like this.`
<tt></tt>	Inline	Defines teletype text	Typically, a browser will display <tt> with the default monospace font, `like this.`
<kbd></kbd>	Inline	Defines keyboard text	Typically, a browser will display <kbd> with the default monospace font, `like this.`
<var></var>	Inline	Defines a variable	Typically, a browser will display <var> text as italicized, `like this.`
<dfn></dfn>	Inline	Defines a definition term	Some browsers, like Firefox will display <var> text as italicized, like this. Some, like Safari, will not.
<samp></samp>	Inline	Defines sample computer code	Like <code>, a browser will typiclly display <samp> with the default monospace font, `like this.`
Tags that indicate blocks, but have no default visible effect
<acronym></acronym>	Inline	Defines an acronym	Used mostly by text readers for the visually impaired to identify an acronym, otherwise the text reader might try to pronounce it.
<abbr></abbr>	Inline	Defines an abbreviation	Used mostly by text readers for the visually impaired to identify an abbreviation, otherwise the text reader might try to pronounce it.
Links
<a></a>	Inline	Defines an anchor	Most commonly it's combined with the href attribute to create links to other pages.
<link />	N/A	Defines a resource reference	Usually used to link to style sheet documents in the head.
Images & other media
<img />	Inline	Defines an image	Used to put images on a page (must be combined with the src attribute).
<map></map>	Inline	Defines an image-map.	An image-map is an image with clickable regions. The <area> element is always nested inside the <map> element.
<area />	N/A	Defines a region in an image map.	A region is the clickable part, a "hotspot."
<object></object>	Inline	Defines an embedded object.	All media other than pictures (audio, video, Flash, etc.) should be defined by <object> tags. Here are detailed instructions on using the <object> tag to embed audio and video.
<param />	N/A	Defines a parameter for an object.	These go between the <object> tags. See my instructions on embedding audio and video for more information.
<embed></embed>	Inline	Defines an embedded object.	<embed> is quickly going the way of the dinosaur; it's only needed by a few older browsers; soon the <object> tag will be all you need.
Tables
<table></table>	Block	Defines a table.	Tables should contain table rows <tr> and data cells <td> or <th>.
<tr></tr>	N/A	Defines a table row	Rows are horizontal.
<th></th>	N/A	Defines a table header cell.	Needs to be inside a table row. By default, text in a <tr> is centered and bold.
<td></td>	N/A	Defines a table data cell.	Needs to be inside a table row. By default, text in a <td> is aligned-left and vertically-aligned center.
<caption></caption>	N/A	Defines a table caption.	.
<thead></thead>	N/A	Defines a table header.	.
<tbody></tbody>	N/A	Defines a table body.	.
<tfoot></tfoot>	N/A	Defines a table footer.	.
<col></col>	N/A	Defines attributes for table columns	.
<colgroup></colgroup>	N/A	Defines groups of table columns	.
Forms
<form></form>	Block	Defines a form	Typically, any fields, buttons, check boxes, etc. you wish to create should go inside a form. This is a must if you want the form to actually do anything.
<input />	Inline	Defines an input type	An input type could be a field, button or check boxes depending on the attributes chosen:
<textarea></textarea>	Inline	Defines a text area	A text area is basically a multi-line input field:
<button></button>	Inline	Defines a push button	In addition to an <input /> tag you can create a button with <button> tags:
<select></select>	Inline	Defines a selectable list	A selectable list is a drop-down list:
<option></option>	N/A	Defines an item in a list box	The items in the above select box (bat, ball, & glove) are each defined by an <option>. Thet go between the <select> tags.
<label></label>	Inline	Defines a label for a form control	A label is basically a caption for a button or field: This is the label for this field
<fieldset></fieldset)	Block	Groups several related controls.	.
<legend></legend>	Block	Assigns a caption to a fieldset	.
Frames
<frames>	.	Defines a sub window (a frame)	.
<frameset>	.	Defines a set of frames	.
<noframes>	.	Defines a noframe section	.
<iframe>	Inline	Defines an inline frame.	An inline frame is like window within a page into which other html pages can be loaded.

Web Reference

XHTML Reference

Tag

Type

Purpose

Notes

Skeletal tags

Tags used in the <head>

Basic page formatting tags

List tags

Character formatting

Other formatting tags

Output

Tags that indicate blocks, but have no default visible effect

Links

Images & other media

Tables

Forms

Frames