<head>: The Document Metadata (Header) element

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  1. Attributes
  2. Example
  3. Notes
  4. Specifications
  5. Browser compatibility
  6. See also

The HTML <head> element provides general information (metadata) about the document, including its title and links to its scripts and style sheets.

Content categories None.
Permitted content If the document is an <iframe> srcdoc document, or if title information is available from a higher level protocol, zero or more elements of metadata content.
Otherwise, one or more elements of metadata content where exactly one is a <title> element.
Tag omission The start tag may be omitted if the first thing inside the head element is an element.
The end tag may be omitted if the first thing following the head element is not a space character or a comment.
Permitted parents An <html> element, as its first child.
Permitted ARIA roles None
DOM interface HTMLHeadElement

Attributes

This element includes the global attributes.

profile
The URIs of one or more metadata profiles, separated by white space.

Example

<html>
  <head>
    <title>Document title</title>
  </head>
</html>

Notes

Modern, HTML5-compliant browsers automatically construct a <head> element if the tags are omitted in the markup. This behavior cannot be guaranteed in ancient browsers.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
HTML Living Standard
The definition of '<head>' in that specification.		 Living Standard No change from latest shapshot
HTML5
The definition of '<head>' in that specification.		 Recommendation Obsoleted profile
HTML 4.01 Specification
The definition of '<head>' in that specification.		 Recommendation  

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub
DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidEdge MobileFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
Basic supportChrome Full support 1Edge Full support YesFirefox Full support 1IE Full support YesOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesEdge Mobile Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes
profile
DeprecatedNon-standard
Chrome Full support 1Edge Full support YesFirefox Full support 1IE Full support YesOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesEdge Mobile Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes

Legend

Full support  
Full support
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

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Contributors to this page: quanticle, Sheppy, Mems, snuggs, fscholz, sideshowbarker, erikadoyle, magic_mike, amuntner-test, Tigt, teoli, Jeremie, kscarfone, justleroy, medicdude, ethertank, grendel, cers, paul.irish, McGurk, hobophobe, jswisher
Last updated by: quanticle,