HTML attribute explained

HTML attributes are special words used inside the opening tag to control the element's behaviour. HTML attributes are a modifier of a HTML element type. An attribute either modifies the default functionality of an element type or provides functionality to certain element types unable to function correctly without them. In HTML syntax, an attribute is added to a HTML start tag.

Several basic attributes types have been recognized, including: (1) required attributes, needed by a particular element type for that element type to function correctly; (2) optional attributes, used to modify the default functionality of an element type; (3) standard attributes, supported by many element types; and (4) event attributes, used to cause element types to specify scripts to be run under specific circumstances.

Some attribute types function differently when used to modify different element types. For example, the attribute name is used by several element types, but has slightly different functions in each.^[1]

Description

HTML attributes generally appear as name–value pairs, separated by =, and are written within the start tag of an element, after the element's name:

element content

Where element names the HTML element type, and attribute is the name of the attribute, set to the provided value. The value may be enclosed in single or double quotes, although values consisting of certain characters can be left unquoted in HTML (but not XHTML).^{[2] [3]} Leaving attribute values unquoted is considered unsafe.^[4]

Although most attributes are provided as paired names and values, some affect the element simply by their presence in the start tag of the element^[5] (like the ismap attribute for the img element^[6]).

The abbreviation element, abbr, can be used to demonstrate these various attributes:

HTML

This example displays as

HTML in blue without being a link, and in most browsers, pointing the cursor at the abbreviation should display the title text "Hypertext Markup Language" within a floating yellow background (tooltip).

Centered text

In this other example, your text will look like this:

Centered text

Most elements also take the language-related attributes lang and dir.

Common attributes

Usually, HTML elements can take any of several most common standard attributes (See the complete list):

• The id attribute provides a document-wide unique identifier for an element.^{[7] [8] [9]} This can be used as CSS selector to provide presentational properties, by browsers to focus attention on the specific element, or by scripts to alter the contents or presentation of an element. Appended to the URL of the page, the URL directly targets the specific element within the document, typically a sub-section of the page. For example, the ID "Attributes" in <nowiki>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTML#Attributes</nowiki> (to refer to the section "Attributes" in the "HTML" page).
• The class attribute provides a way of classifying similar elements. Multiple class names can be added by separating them with spaces.^{[10] [11]} Semantically, for example, classes are used in microformats. Additionally authors of style sheets can construct selectors that match elements by class for styling purposes. For example, a HTML document might use the designation class="notation" to indicate that all elements with this class value are subordinate to the main text of the document. Such elements might be gathered together as footnotes on a page—instead of appearing in the place suggested by their position within the HTML source. The style sheet author might also define a rule with the .notation selector and define the property font-size: small;.
• The style attribute provides a way of applying element-specific style rules. Multiple style declarations can be added by separating them with semicolons and an optional space, where each declaration includes a CSS property name and a value separated by a colon and an optional space (Example: style="color: red; text-align: center;").^{[12] [13] [14]} The style attribute can be used on any HTML element (it will validate on any HTML element; however, it is not necessarily useful). It is considered better practice to add the style information to a style sheet, often accomplished with selectors that match the element class or ID. Sometimes, however, inline styles are favored where style sheets are considered too cumbersome for a simple and specific or ad hoc style specification.
• The title attribute is used to attach subtextual explanation to an element. In most browsers this attribute is displayed as what is often referred to as a tooltip.

Varieties

HTML attributes are generally classified as required attributes, optional attributes, standard attributes, and event attributes:

• Usually the required and optional attributes modify specific HTML elements
• While the standard attributes can be applied to most HTML elements.^[15]
• Event attributes, added in HTML version 4, allow an element to specify scripts to be run under specific circumstances.^[16]

Required and optional

Used by two elements

• and :
  • coords — coordinates of an or a within it.
  • shape — shape of an or a within it. Values: default, rect, circle, poly.
• and :
  • hreflang — Language code of the linked document.
  • rel — Nature of the linked document (relative to the page currently displayed). Free text for, but uses a set of terms (alternate, appendix, bookmark, chapter, contents, copyright, glossary, help, home, index, next, prev, section, start, stylesheet, subsection).
  • rev — Nature of the currently displayed page (relative to the linked document). Varies for and as for rel.
• and :
  • archive — archive URL(s)
  • codebase — base URL
• and :
  • color — text color (deprecated)
  • face — font family (deprecated)
• and :
  • span — number of columns spanned
• and :
  • datetime — date and time of text or .
• and :
  • accept — types of files accepted when uploading or
• and :
  • frameborder — value (0 or 1) specifies whether to display a border around the or .
  • marginheight — top and bottom margins in pixels around the or .
  • scrolling — value (yes, no, auto) specifies whether to display scroll bars around the or .
  • marginwidth — left and right margins in pixels around the or .
• and :
  • cols — number of visible columns in or (some variation)
  • rows — number of visible rows in or (some variation)
• and :
  • usemap — specifies name of a map element to use with -or- URL of an image-map to use with .
• and :
  • readonly — specifies read-only text for and .
• and :
  • media — specifies display device for and . Values: all, aural, braille, handheld, print, projection, screen, tty, TV.
• and :
  • label — description text for an or .
• and :
  • abbr — abbreviated version of a table or .
  • axis — category name for a table or .
  • colspan — number of columns spanned by a table or .
  • nowrap — (deprecated) prevents wrapping of a table or .
  • rowspan — number of rows spanned by a table or .
  • scope — no effect on normal browser display, but marks a table or as a logical header for other cells. Values: col, colgroup, row, rowgroup.

Used by multiple elements

• align —,,,,,,,,

• align also deprecated in,, to,,,,,,,
• alt —,,,
• bgcolor —,,,,
• border —,,
• char —,,,,,,,
• charoff —,,,,,,,
• charset —,,
• cite —,,,
• compact —,,,
• disabled —,,,,,
• height —,,, . Also deprecated in,
• href —,,,
• hspace —, . Also deprecated in
• longdesc —,,
• name —,,,,,,,,,,,,
• size —,,,,
• src —,,,,
• target —,,,,
• type —,,,,,,,,,
• valign —,,,,,,,
• value —,,,,
• vspace —,,
• width —,,,,,,,,,,

Standard attributes

Standard attributes are also known as global attributes, and function with a large number of elements.^[17] They include the basic standard attributes: these include accesskey, class, contenteditable, contextmenu, data, dir, hidden, id, lang, style, tabindex, title. There are also some experimental ones. Both xml:lang and xml:base have been deprecated. The multiple aria-* attributes improve accessibility. The event handler attributes are listed later on.

Technically all standard attributes must be accepted by all elements, though they will not function with some elements.^[18] The table below lists some common standard attributes, and some elements they can function with.

Element	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey	tabindex
	id
					dir	lang	xml:lang
					dir	lang	xml:lang
					dir	lang	xml:lang
					dir	lang	xml:lang
				title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title
	id	class	style	title
	id	class	style	title
	id	class	style	title
	id	class	style	title
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
,,,,,	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang		tabindex
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang		tabindex
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey	tabindex
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey	tabindex
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey	tabindex
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey	tabindex
	id	class	style	title	dir	lang	xml:lang	accesskey	tabindex

Event attributes

The standard attributes include the event handler attributes. They are all prefixed on-:

Event attributes, added in HTML version 4, allow an element to specify scripts to be run under specific circumstances. The table below lists some common event handler attributes, and some elements they can function with.

Element	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At	At
	onload	onunload
	onload	onunload		onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
,,,,,				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
			onabort	onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus	onchange
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus	onchange	onselect
				onclick	ondblclick	onmousedown	onmousemove	onmouseout	onmouseover	onmouseup	onkeydown	onkeypress	onkeyup	onblur	onfocus	onchange	onselect

See also

• HTML element

References

1. Web site: Index of the HTML 4 Attributes . W3C . 13 February 2015.
2. Web site: On SGML and HTML . World Wide Web Consortium . November 16, 2008.
3. Web site: XHTML 1.0 – Differences with HTML 4. World Wide Web Consortium. November 16, 2008.
4. Web site: Jukka. Korpela. Why attribute values should always be quoted in HTML. Cs.tut.fi . July 6, 1998. November 16, 2008.
5. Web site: Tags used in HTML . World Wide Web Consortium . November 3, 1992 . November 16, 2008.
6. Web site: Objects, Images, and Applets in HTML documents . World Wide Web Consortium . December 24, 1999. November 16, 2008.
7. However, multiple identifiers may apply to the same element; in particular an element may be inside another element, each having an identifier.
8. Web site: HTML id. W3Schools. 2020-04-27 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200427024838/https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_id.asp . Apr 27, 2020 .
9. Web site: HTML Global id Attribute. W3Schools. 2020-04-27.
10. Web site: HTML Classes. W3Schools. 2020-04-27.
11. Web site: HTML Global class Attribute. W3Schools. 2020-04-27.
12. Web site: HTML Styles. W3Schools. 2023-05-12.
13. Web site: HTML Global style Attribute. W3Schools. 2023-05-12.
14. Web site: CSS Syntax. W3Schools. 2023-05-12.
15. Web site: HTML Global Attributes . W3Schools.
16. Web site: HTML Event Attributes . W3Schools.
17. Web site: Global attributes – HTML (HyperText Markup Language) . MDN Web Docs . 2015-02-12.
18. Web site: HTML reference – HTML (HyperText Markup Language) . MDN Web Docs . 13 February 2015.