Once a table has been defined in HTML, table rows may be added using the element. Using the element signifies that the information within this element will be tabular data displayed in the necessary columns and rows. We use the element to initialize a table on a page. When all of these elements are working together, they produce a solid table. For greater structure and additional semantic value, tables may include the (table header) ele- ment and a few other elements as well. At a minimum a table must consist of, (table row), and (table data) elements. Tables are made up of data that is contained within columns and rows, and HTML supplies several different elements for defining and structuring these items. Then, once they’re marked up in HTML, tables need to be styled with CSS to make the information more legible and understandable to users. How a table should be built in HTML depends largely on the data and how it is to be displayed.
Today tables are used specifically for organizing data (like they should be), and CSS is free to get on with the jobs of positioning and layout.īuilding data tables still has its challenges. This worked at the time, but it was not what table markup was intended for, and it led to many other associated problems.įortunately, we have come a long way since then. They were used for positioning content as well as for building the overall layout of a page. When HTML was being developed, however, CSS was not widely supported in browsers, so tables were the primary means by which websites were built. HTML tables were created to provide a straightforward way to mark up structured tabular data and to display that data in a form that is easy for users to read and digest.