What does the <table> tag do?
The <table> tag in HTML is used to create a table - a structure made up of rows and columns that hold data.
It is a container for all the table's elements: rows (<tr>), cells (<td>), headers (<th>), and logical sections (<thead>, <tbody>, <tfoot>).
Main function
The <table> tag groups and displays data in tabular form - like a grid where rows and columns intersect in cells.
Example:
<table>
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Age</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Maria</td>
<td>25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Oleh</td>
<td>30</td>
</tr>
</table>What happens here:
<table>- creates the table.<tr>- adds a row.<th>- makes a cell a header (bold, centered).<td>- adds a regular data cell.
<table> tag attributes (outdated, but still seen)
-
border- adds a border around the table.html<table border="1">...</table> -
cellpadding- sets the inner padding inside cells. -
cellspacing- the spacing between cells.
Nowadays CSS is used to style tables instead of these attributes.
Example with CSS:
<table>
<tr>
<th>Item</th>
<th>Price</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bread</td>
<td>$40</td>
</tr>
</table>
<style>
table {
border-collapse: collapse;
width: 300px;
}
th, td {
border: 1px solid #333;
padding: 8px;
text-align: left;
}
</style>Conclusion:
The <table> tag creates a table and serves as the main container for all its elements.
It does not display data by itself, but it organizes it into rows and columns, providing a structured and visually clear representation of information.
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