Tables

Learn about HTML table structure, attributes, and best practices.

Table Structure

Tables are used to display data in a structured format using rows and columns. The main elements of an HTML table are:

  • <table>: The wrapper element for a table.
  • <tr>: Defines a row within a table.
  • <th>: Represents a header cell.
  • <td>: Represents a data cell.
  • <thead>: Groups header rows.
  • <tbody>: Groups body rows.
  • <tfoot>: Groups footer rows.

Example:

<table>
    <thead>
        <tr>
            <th>Name</th>
            <th>Age</th>
            <th>Country</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td>Alice</td>
            <td>25</td>
            <td>USA</td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td>Bob</td>
            <td>30</td>
            <td>UK</td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
    <tfoot>
        <tr>
            <td colspan="3">End of Table</td>
        </tr>
    </tfoot>
</table>

Table Attributes

  • colspan: Merges multiple columns.
  • rowspan: Merges multiple rows.
  • border: Specifies the table border (deprecated in HTML5, use CSS instead).

Example:

<table border="1">
    <tr>
        <th>Name</th>
        <th colspan="2">Details</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>John</td>
        <td>Developer</td>
        <td>USA</td>
    </tr>
</table>

For better styling, prefer using CSS:

<style>
table {
    border-collapse: collapse;
    width: 100%;
}
th, td {
    border: 1px solid black;
    padding: 8px;
    text-align: left;
}
th {
    background-color: #f2f2f2;
}
</style>