1. html
  2. /tags
  3. /body

<body>

Definition

The <body> element in HTML is used to define the main content of an HTML document. This element wraps all the other content on the page, including text, images, and other media. It is the section of the document that is visible to the user when the page is loaded in a web browser.

The <body> element is also a block-level element, meaning that it takes up the full width of its parent container and creates a new line after it. It can be styled using CSS to change the font, color, and other visual properties of the content within it.

Examples

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
	<title>Body Element Demo</title>
</head>
<body>
	<h1>Body Element Demo</h1>
	<p>This is a demo of using the body element in an HTML document.</p>
</body>
</html>

Attributes

AttributeDescriptionDeprecated
onloadSpecifies a script to be executed when the body has finished loadingNo
onunloadSpecifies a script to be executed when the user exits the documentNo
onbeforeunloadSpecifies a script to be executed when the user is about to leave the documentNo
onfocusSpecifies a script to be executed when the body element gets focusNo
onblurSpecifies a script to be executed when the body element loses focusNo
onscrollSpecifies a script to be executed when the user scrolls the documentNo
onresizeSpecifies a script to be executed when the user resizes the windowNo
backgroundSpecifies a background image for the document bodyYes, use CSS instead
bgcolorSpecifies the background color for the document bodyYes, use CSS instead
textSpecifies the text color for the document bodyYes, use CSS instead
linkSpecifies the color of links in the document bodyYes, use CSS instead
vlinkSpecifies the color of visited links in the document bodyYes, use CSS instead
alinkSpecifies the color of active links in the document bodyYes, use CSS instead
marginheightSpecifies the top and bottom margins of the body elementYes, use CSS instead
marginwidthSpecifies the left and right margins of the body elementYes, use CSS instead
topmarginSpecifies the top margin of the body elementYes, use CSS instead
leftmarginSpecifies the left margin of the body elementYes, use CSS instead
rightmarginSpecifies the right margin of the body elementYes, use CSS instead
bottommarginSpecifies the bottom margin of the body elementYes, use CSS instead
vspaceSpecifies the vertical space around the body elementYes, use CSS instead
hspaceSpecifies the horizontal space around the body elementYes, use CSS instead
bgpropertiesSpecifies whether the background image is fixed or scrolls with the documentYes, use CSS instead

Best Practices

There are several best practices to keep in mind when using the <body> element in HTML. Some of these include:

  • Using appropriate headings to structure the content on the page. This can be done using the <h1> to <h6> elements, which define different levels of headings.
  • Using descriptive link text. Links on a web page should clearly describe where they will take the user when clicked.
  • Providing alternative text for images using the alt attribute. This text will be read by screen readers and will provide a description of the image for users who are unable to see it.
  • Using semantic HTML elements to markup the content on the page. This means using elements like <p> for paragraphs, <ul> for unordered lists, and <table> for tables, rather than using generic <div> elements for all content.

Browser Compatibility

ChromeFirefoxSafariInternet ExplorerMicrosoft EdgeOpera
YesYesYesYesYesYes