HTML provides various text formatting tags to change the appearance and structure of text. These tags help define important, emphasized, or structured content, making it more readable and meaningful.
Basic Text Formatting Tags
HTML includes several tags for formatting text, such as making text bold, italic, underlined, or highlighted.
Bold Text (<b> and <strong>)
Explanation
<b> makes text bold but does not convey importance.
<b> makes text bold and signifies importance (SEO and screen readers recognize it as emphasized content).
Italicized Text (<i> and <em>)
Explanation
<i> makes text italic for stylistic purposes.
<em> makes text italic and conveys emphasis (screen readers stress it).
Underlined and Marked Text (<u> and <mark>)
Explanation
<u> underlines text, usually for stylistic purposes.
<mark> highlights text with a background color (useful for emphasis).
Small, Deleted, and Inserted Text (<small>, <del>, <ins>)
Explanation
<small> reduces text size.
<del> represents deleted text (often strikethrough).
<ins> represents inserted text (usually underlined).
Subscript and Superscript Text (<sub> and <sup>)
Explanation
<sub> makes text smaller and lowers it (used in chemical formulas).
<sup> makes text smaller and raises it (used in exponents or footnotes).
Combining Formatting Tags
You can combine multiple formatting tags to enhance text styling.
Best Practices
Use <strong> and <em> for emphasis, not just for styling.
Avoid excessive formatting, as it can make text difficult to read.
Use <mark> sparingly to highlight important content.
<b> and <i> should be used when emphasis is not semantically important.
Keep formatting consistent throughout your webpage.