HTML5 Self Closing Tags
HTML is a markup language used for creating web pages. In HTML, there are two types of tags: opening tags and closing tags. Opening tags begin with a less-than symbol (<) followed by the tag name, and closing tags begin with a less-than symbol followed by a forward slash (/) and the tag name. However, in HTML5, there are certain tags that can be self-closing, meaning they don't require a separate closing tag. In this article, we will discuss self-closing tags in HTML5.
What are self-closing tags?
Self-closing tags are HTML tags that don't require a separate closing tag. Instead, they are written as a single tag with a forward slash (/) at the end. Here's an example of a self-closing tag in HTML5:
<img src="image.jpg" alt="an image" />
In this example, the <img>
tag is a self-closing tag. It's used to display an image on a web page and doesn't require a separate closing tag.
Which tags are self-closing in HTML5?
There are several tags that can be self-closing in HTML5. Here are some examples:
<area>
<base>
<br>
<col>
<embed>
<hr>
<img>
<input>
<link>
<meta>
<param>
<source>
<track>
<wbr>
All of these tags can be written as self-closing tags in HTML5.
Why use self-closing tags?
Self-closing tags can be useful for a few reasons. Firstly, they can make your code more concise and easier to read. For example, instead of writing:
<br></br>
You can simply write:
<br />
Secondly, self-closing tags can help prevent errors in your HTML code. If you forget to close a tag, your web page may not render correctly or may not work at all. By using self-closing tags, you can avoid this issue altogether.
Conclusion
Self-closing tags are a useful feature of HTML5. By knowing which tags can be self-closing and when to use them, you can write cleaner, more efficient HTML code. Remember to use self-closing tags when appropriate, but don't overuse them, as some tags still require a separate closing tag.