HTML Content Model Categories

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In HTML 4.01, there was a distinction between block-level and inline elements. In HTML 5, this distinction between block and inline has been replaced with a more complex set of content categories.

Each element in HTML falls into zero or more categories that group elements with similar characteristics.

Content model categories

The following broad categories are used in this specification:

There are also two other less-relevant categories:

Reference chart

Elements	Metadata	Flow	Phrasing	Sectioning	Heading	Embedded	Interactive
`a`	N/A	`a`	`a`	N/A	N/A	N/A	a (if the `href` attribute is present)
`abbr`	N/A	`abbr`	`abbr`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`address`	N/A	`address`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`area`	N/A	`area` (if it is a descendant of a `map` element)	`area` (if it is a descendant of a `map` element)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`article`	N/A	`article`	N/A	`article`	N/A	N/A	N/A
`aside`	N/A	`aside`	N/A	`aside`	N/A	N/A	N/A
`audio`	N/A	`audio`	`audio`	N/A	N/A	`audio`	`audio` (if the `controls` attribute is present)
`b`	N/A	`b`	`b`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`base`	`base`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`bdi`	N/A	`bdi`	`bdi`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`bdo`	N/A	`bdo`	`bdo`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`blockquote`	N/A	`blockquote`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`body`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`br`	N/A	`br`	`br`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`button`	N/A	`button`	`button`	N/A	N/A	N/A	`button`
`canvas`	N/A	`canvas`	`canvas`	N/A	N/A	`canvas`	N/A
`caption`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`cite`	N/A	`cite`	`cite`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`code`	N/A	`code`	`code`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`col`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`colgroup`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`data`	N/A	`data`	`data`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`datalist`	N/A	`datalist`	`datalist`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`dd`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`del`	N/A	`del`	`del`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`details`	N/A	`details`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	`details`
`dfn`	N/A	`dfn`	`dfn`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`dialog`	N/A	`dialog`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`div`	N/A	`div`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`dl`	N/A	`dl`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`dt`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`em`	N/A	`em`	`em`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`embed`	N/A	`embed`	`embed`	N/A	N/A	`embed`	`embed`
`fieldset`	N/A	`fieldset`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`figcaption`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`figure`	N/A	`figure`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`footer`	N/A	`footer`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`form`	N/A	`form`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`h1`	N/A	`h1`	N/A	N/A	`h1`	N/A	N/A
`h2`	N/A	`h2`	N/A	N/A	`h2`	N/A	N/A
`h3`	N/A	`h3`	N/A	N/A	`h3`	N/A	N/A
`h4`	N/A	`h4`	N/A	N/A	`h4`	N/A	N/A
`h5`	N/A	`h5`	N/A	N/A	`h5`	N/A	N/A
`h6`	N/A	`h6`	N/A	N/A	`h6`	N/A	N/A
`head`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`header`	N/A	`header`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`hgroup`	N/A	`hgroup`	N/A	N/A	`hgroup`	N/A	N/A
`hr`	N/A	`hr`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`html`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`i`	N/A	`i`	`i`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`iframe`	N/A	`iframe`	`iframe`	N/A	N/A	`iframe`	`iframe`
`img`	N/A	`img`	`img`	N/A	N/A	`img`	`img` (if the `usemap` attribute is present)
`input`	N/A	`input`	`input`	N/A	N/A	N/A	`input` (if the type attribute is not to `hidden`)
`ins`	N/A	`ins`	`ins`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`kbd`	N/A	`kbd`	`kbd`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`label`	N/A	`label`	`label`	N/A	N/A	N/A	`label`
`legend`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`li`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`link`	`link`	`link` (if it is allowed in the body)	`link` (if it is allowed in the body)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`main`	N/A	`main` (if it is a hierarchically correct main element)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`map`	N/A	`map`	`map`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`mark`	N/A	`mark`	`mark`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`menu`	N/A	`menu`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`meta`	`meta`	`meta` (if the `itemprop` attribute is present)	`meta` (if the `itemprop` attribute is present)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`meter`	N/A	`meter`	`meter`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`nav`	N/A	`nav`	N/A	`nav`	N/A	N/A	N/A
`noscript`	`noscript`	`noscript`	`noscript`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`object`	N/A	`object`	`object`	N/A	N/A	object	N/A
`ol`	N/A	`ol`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`optgroup`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`option`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`output`	N/A	`output`	`output`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`p`	N/A	`p`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`picture`	N/A	`picture`	`picture`	N/A	N/A	picture	N/A
`pre`	N/A	`pre`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`progress`	N/A	`progress`	`progress`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`q`	N/A	`q`	`q`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`rp`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`rt`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`ruby`	N/A	`ruby`	`ruby`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`s`	N/A	`s`	`s`	`s`	N/A	N/A	N/A
`samp`	N/A	`samp`	`samp`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`script`	`script`	`script`	`script`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`search`	N/A	`search`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`section`	N/A	`section`	N/A	`section`	N/A	N/A	N/A
`select`	N/A	`select`	`select`	N/A	N/A	N/A	`select`
`slot`	N/A	`slot`	`slot`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`small`	N/A	`small`	`small`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`source`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`span`	N/A	`span`	`span`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`strong`	N/A	`strong`	`strong`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`style`	`style`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`sub`	N/A	`sub`	`sub`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`summary`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`sup`	N/A	`sup`	`sup`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`svg`	N/A	`svg`	`svg`	N/A	N/A	`svg`	N/A
`table`	N/A	`table`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`tbody`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`td`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`template`	`template`	`template`	`template`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`textarea`	N/A	`textarea`	`textarea`	N/A	N/A	N/A	`textarea`
`tfoot`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`th`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`thead`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`time`	N/A	`time`	`time`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`title`	`title`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`tr`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`track`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`u`	N/A	`u`	`u`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`ul`	N/A	`ul`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`var`	N/A	`var`	`var`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
`video`	N/A	`video`	`video`	N/A	N/A	`video`	`video` (if the `controls` attribute is present)
`wbr`	N/A	`wbr`	`wbr`	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A