HTML Block and Inline Elements

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

There are two display values: block and inline.

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Block-level Elements

A block-level element always starts on a new line, and the browsers automatically add some space (a margin) before and after the element.

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

Two commonly used block elements are: <p> and <div>.

The <p> element defines a paragraph in an HTML document.

The <div> element defines a division or a section in an HTML document.

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

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

Example

<p>Hello World</p>
<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>

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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!