A Complete Guide to Web Design

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HTML TagsDepreciated

Web Design in a Nutshell, eMatter Edition

Appendix CDepreciated HTML Tags

APPENDIX C

Deprecated Tags

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the organization responsible for setting
the HTML standard. The W3C takes HTML advancements into consideration when
compiling the new standards. Many once-proprietary tags have been rolled into
the standard and eventually find universal browser support. Others go by the
wayside.

As HTML advances and improved methods such as Cascading Style Sheets emerge,
older tags are put to rest by the W3C. The HTML 4.0 Proposed Recommendation
has classified a number of HTML tags and individual attributes as “deprecated.”
The W3C defines a deprecated element as one...

“... that has been outdated by newer constructs. Deprecated elements are defined in

the reference manual in appropriate locations, but are clearly marked as deprecated.

Deprecated elements may become obsolete in future versions of HTML.

User agents [browsers] should continue to support deprecated elements for reasons of

backward compatibility. Definitions of elements and attributes clearly indicate which

are deprecated.

This specification includes examples that illustrate how to avoid using deprecated

elements. In most cases these depend on user agent support for style sheets. In

general, authors should use style sheets to achieve stylistic and formatting effects

rather than HTML presentational attributes. HTML presentational attributes have been

deprecated when style sheet alternatives exist.”*

The tables in this appendix list the elements and attributes that have been depre-
cated in the HTML 4.0 Spec. Substitute tags or methods are listed when provided
by the W3C.

• Source: (HTML 4.0 Proposed Recommendation).