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HTML Tags

<!-->
<!DOCTYPE>
<a>
<abbr>
<acronym>
<address>
<applet>
<area>
<b>
<base>
<basefont>
<bdo>
<big>
<blockquote>
<body>
<br>
<button>
<caption>
<center>
<cite>
<code>
<col>
<colgroup>
<dd>
<del>
<dfn>
<dir>
<div>
<dl>
<dt>
<em>
<fieldset>
<font>
<form>
<frame>
<frameset>
<head>
<h1> - <h6>
<hr>
<html>
<i>
<iframe>
<img>
<input>
<ins>
<kbd>
<label>
<legend>
<li>
<link>
<map>
<menu>
<meta>
<noframes>
<noscript>
<object>
<ol>
<optgroup>
<option>
<p>
<param>
<pre>
<q>
<s>
<samp>
<script>
<select>
<small>
<span>
<strike>
<strong>
<style>
<sub>
<sup>
<table>
<tbody>
<td>
<textarea>
<tfoot>
<th>
<thead>
<title>
<tr>
<tt>
<u>
<ul>
<var>

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HTML <meta> tag


Definition and Usage

The <meta> element provides meta-information about your page, such as descriptions and keywords for search engines and refresh rates.


Differences Between HTML and XHTML

In HTML the <meta> tag has no end tag.

In XHTML the <meta> tag must be properly closed.


Tips and Notes

Note: The <meta> tag always goes inside the head element.

Note: Metadata is always passed as name/value pairs.


Examples

Define keywords for search engines:
<meta name="keywords" content="HTML, DHTML, CSS, XML, XHTML, JavaScript, VBScript" />

Define a description of your web page:
<meta name="description" content="Free Web tutorials on HTML, CSS, XML, and XHTML" />

Define the last revision of your page:
<meta name="revised" content="Hege Refsnes, 6/10/99" />

Refresh page every 5 seconds:
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5" />


Required Attributes

DTD indicates in which DTD the attribute is allowed. S=Strict, T=Transitional, and F=Frameset.

Attribute Value Description DTD
content some_text Defines meta information to be associated with http-equiv or name STF

Optional Attributes

Attribute Value Description DTD
http-equiv content-type
expires
refresh
set-cookie
Connects the content attribute to an HTTP header STF
name author
description
keywords
generator
revised
others
Connects the content attribute to a name STF
scheme some_text Defines a format to be used to interpret the value of the content attribute STF

Standard Attributes

dir, lang, xml:lang

For a full description, go to Standard Attributes.


Try-It-Yourself Demos

Document description
Information inside a meta element describes the document.

Document keywords
Information inside a meta element describes the document's keywords.

Redirect a user
This example demonstrates how to redirect a user if your site address has changed.



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