<dir>: The Directory element (obsolete)

Obsolete
This feature is obsolete. Although it may still work in some browsers, its use is discouraged since it could be removed at any time. Try to avoid using it.

The obsolete HTML Directory element (<dir>) is used as a container for a directory of files and/or folders, potentially with styles and icons applied by the user agent. Do not use this obsolete element; instead, you should use the <ul> element for lists, including lists of files.

Usage note: Do not use this element. Though present in early HTML specifications, it has been deprecated in HTML 4, and has since been removed entirely. No major browsers support this element.

DOM interface

This element implements the HTMLDirectoryElement interface.

Attributes

Like all other HTML elements, this element supports the global attributes.

compact
This Boolean attribute hints that the list should be rendered in a compact style. The interpretation of this attribute depends on the user agent and it doesn't work in all browsers.
Usage note: Do not use this attribute, as it has been deprecated: the <dir> element should be styled using CSS. To give a similar effect as that achieved with the compact attribute, the CSS property line-height can be used with a value of 80%.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub
DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
dir
Deprecated
Chrome No support NoEdge No support NoFirefox No support NoIE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android No support NoChrome Android No support NoFirefox Android No support NoOpera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android No support No
compact
Deprecated
Chrome No support NoEdge No support NoFirefox No support NoIE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android No support NoChrome Android No support NoFirefox Android No support NoOpera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android No support No

Legend

No support  
No support
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.

See also

  • Other list-related HTML Elements: <ol>, <ul>, <li>, and <menu>;
  • CSS properties that may be specially useful to style the <dir> element:
    • The list-style property, useful to choose the way the ordinal is displayed.
    • CSS counters, useful to handle complex nested lists.
    • The line-height property, useful to simulate the deprecated compact attribute.
    • The margin property, useful to control the indent of the list.
Related Topics
  1. <blockquote>
  2. <dd>
  3. <dir>
  4. <div>
  5. <dl>
  6. <dt>
  7. <figcaption>
  8. <figure>
  9. <hr>
  10. <li>
  11. <main>
  12. <ol>
  13. <p>
  14. <pre>
  15. <ul>
  16. HTML Elements
    1. A
      1. <a>
      2. <abbr>
      3. <acronym>
      4. <address>
      5. <applet>
      6. <area>
      7. <article>
      8. <aside>
      9. <audio>
    2. B
      1. <b>
      2. <base>
      3. <basefont>
      4. <bdi>
      5. <bdo>
      6. <bgsound>
      7. <big>
      8. <blink>
      9. <blockquote>
      10. <body>
      11. <br>
      12. <button>
    3. C
      1. <canvas>
      2. <caption>
      3. <center>
      4. <cite>
      5. <code>
      6. <col>
      7. <colgroup>
      8. <content>
    4. D
      1. <data>
      2. <datalist>
      3. <dd>
      4. <del>
      5. <details>
      6. <dfn>
      7. <dialog>
      8. <dir>
      9. <div>
      10. <dl>
      11. <dt>
    5. E
      1. <em>
      2. <embed>
    6. F
      1. <fieldset>
      2. <figcaption>
      3. <figure>
      4. <font>
      5. <footer>
      6. <form>
      7. <frame>
      8. <frameset>
    7. G H
      1. <h1>
      2. <h2>
      3. <h3>
      4. <h4>
      5. <h5>
      6. <h6>
      7. <head>
      8. <header>
      9. <hgroup>
      10. <hr>
      11. <html>
    8. I
      1. <i>
      2. <iframe>
      3. <img>
      4. <input>
      5. <ins>
      6. <isindex>
    9. J K
      1. <kbd>
      2. <keygen>
    10. L
      1. <label>
      2. <legend>
      3. <li>
      4. <link>
      5. <listing>
    11. M
      1. <main>
      2. <map>
      3. <mark>
      4. <marquee>
      5. <menu>
      6. <menuitem>
      7. <meta>
      8. <meter>
    12. N
      1. <nav>
      2. <nobr>
      3. <noframes>
      4. <noscript>
    13. O
      1. <object>
      2. <ol>
      3. <optgroup>
      4. <option>
      5. <output>
    14. P
      1. <p>
      2. <param>
      3. <picture>
      4. <plaintext>
      5. <pre>
      6. <progress>
    15. Q
      1. <q>
    16. R
      1. <rp>
      2. <rt>
      3. <rtc>
      4. <ruby>
    17. S
      1. <s>
      2. <samp>
      3. <script>
      4. <section>
      5. <select>
      6. <shadow>
      7. <slot>
      8. <small>
      9. <source>
      10. <spacer>
      11. <span>
      12. <strike>
      13. <strong>
      14. <style>
      15. <sub>
      16. <summary>
      17. <sup>
    18. T
      1. <table>
      2. <tbody>
      3. <td>
      4. <template>
      5. <textarea>
      6. <tfoot>
      7. <th>
      8. <thead>
      9. <time>
      10. <title>
      11. <tr>
      12. <track>
      13. <tt>
    19. U
      1. <u>
      2. <ul>
    20. V
      1. <var>
      2. <video>
    21. W
      1. <wbr>
    22. X Y Z
      1. <xmp>