What are paired and void tags?
In HTML, all tags are divided into paired and void (non-paired) ones, based on whether they contain inner content and require a closing tag.
1. Paired tags
These are tags that have an opening and a closing part. Between them is the content: text or other elements.
Example:
<p>This is a paragraph of text.</p><p>is the opening tag,</p>is the closing tag (with a slash/),This is a paragraph of text.is the content.
Paired tags:
<div>, <span>, <a>, <p>, <h1>-<h6>, <ul>, <li>, <table>, <section>, <article>, <header>, <footer> and most others.
They create the structure and nesting of the page.
2. Void (non-paired) tags
These are tags that contain no content and do not require closing. They perform an action on their own: insert an image, a line break, a line, and so on.
Example:
<img src="photo.jpg" alt="Photo">
<br>
<hr>Void tags:
<img>, <br>, <hr>, <input>, <meta>, <link>, <source>, <area>, <col>, <embed>.
Such tags are considered complete by default: there is nothing inside them, and there cannot be.
3. How the browser processes them
- For paired tags, the browser creates a container with content.
- For void tags, it simply performs the action (inserts an image, breaks the line, and so on).
If you close a void tag manually (</img> or </br>), this is considered an error in HTML5.
Summary:
| Tag type | Features | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Paired | Has an opening and a closing tag, contains content | <p>Text</p> |
| Void (non-paired) | Has no content, requires no closing | <img src="photo.jpg"> |
In simple terms: Paired tags are "boxes with content", while void tags are "self-sufficient commands" that insert something ready-made onto the page.
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