HTML Block and Inline Elements

PreviousNext

Every HTML element has a default display value, depending on what type of element it is.

There are two display values: block and inline.

Block-level Elements

A block-level element always starts on a new line.

A block-level element always takes up the full width available (stretches out to the left and right as far as it can).

A block level element has a top and a bottom margin, whereas an inline element does not.

The <div> element is a block-level element.

Example

<div>Hello World</div>

Try it Yourself »

Here are the block-level elements in HTML:

<address>

<article>

<aside>

<blockquote>

<canvas>

<dd>

<div>

<dl>

<dt>

<fieldset>

<figcaption>

<figure>

<footer>

<form>

<h1>-<h6>

<header>

<hr>

<li>

<main>

<nav>

<noscript>

<ol>

<p>

<pre>

<section>

<table>

<tfoot>

<ul>

<video>

Inline Elements

An inline element does not start on a new line.

An inline element only takes up as much width as necessary.

This is a <span> element inside a paragraph.

Example

<span>Hello World</span>

Try it Yourself »

Here are the inline elements in HTML:

<a>

<abbr>

<acronym>

<b>

<bdo>

<big>

<br>

<button>

<cite>

<code>

<dfn>

<em>

<i>

<img>

<input>

<kbd>

<label>

<map>

<object>

<output>

<q>

<samp>

<script>

<select>

<small>

<span>

<strong>

<sub>

<sup>

<textarea>

<time>

<tt>

<var>

Note: An inline element cannot contain a block-level element!

The <div> Element

The <div> element is often used as a container for other HTML elements.

The <div> element has no required attributes, but style, class and id are common.

When used together with CSS, the <div> element can be used to style blocks of content:

Example

<div style="background-color:black;color:white;padding:20px;">
  <h2>London</h2>
  <p>London is the capital city of England. It is the most populous city in the United Kingdom, with a metropolitan area of over 13 million inhabitants.</p>
</div>

Try it Yourself »

The <span> Element

The <span> element is an inline container used to mark up a part of a text, or a part of a document.

The <span> element has no required attributes, but style, class and id are common.

When used together with CSS, the <span> element can be used to style parts of the text:

Example

<p>My mother has <span style="color:blue;font-weight:bold">blue</span> eyes and my father has <span style="color:darkolivegreen;font-weight:bold">dark green</span> eyes.</p>

Try it Yourself »

Chapter Summary

• There are two display values: block and inline
• A block-level element always starts on a new line and takes up the full width available
• An inline element does not start on a new line and it only takes up as much width as necessary
• The <div> element is a block-level and is often used as a container for other HTML elements
• The <span> element is an inline container used to mark up a part of a text, or a part of a document

HTML Tags

TagDescription<div>Defines a section in a document (block-level)<span>Defines a section in a document (inline)