Character Format Elements

Character format elements are used to specify either the logical meaning or the physical appearance of marked text without causing a paragraph break. Like most other elements, character format elements include both opening and closing tags. Only the characters between the tags are affected:

This is <EM>emphasized</EM> text.

Character format tags may be ignored by minimal HTML applications.

Character format tags are interpreted from left to right as they appear in the flow of text. Level 1 interpreters must render highlighted text distinctly from plain text. Additionally, EM content must be rendered as distinct from STRONG content, and B content must rendered as distinct from I content.

Character format elements may be nested within the content of other character format elements; however, HTML interpreters are not required to render nested character format elements distinctly from non-nested elements:

plain <B>bold <I>italic</I></B> may the rendered 
the same as plain <B>bold </B><I>italic</I>

Semantic Format Elements

Note that typical renderings for semantic format elements vary between applications. If a specific rendering is necessary - for example, when referring to a specific text attribute as in "The italic parts are mandatory" - a physical formating element can be used to ensure that the intended rendered is used where possible.

Note that different sematic elements may be rendered in the same way.

Citation

<CITE>...</CITE> Level 1

The Citation element specifies a citation, typically rendered as italics.

Code

<CODE> ... </CODE> Level 1

The Code element indicates an example of code, typically rendered in a monospaced font. This should not be confused with the Preformatted Text element.

Emphasis

<EM> ... </EM> Level 1

The Emphasis element indicates typographic emphasis, typically rendered as italics.

Keyboard

<KBD> ... </KBD> Level 1

The Keyboard element indicates text typed by a user, typically rendered in a monospaced font. This is commonly used in instruction manuals.

Sample

<SAMP> ... </SAMP> Level 1

The Sample element indicates a sequence of literal characters, typically rendered in a monospaced font.

Strong

<STRONG> ... </STRONG> Level 1

The Strong element indicates strong typographic emphasis, typically rendered in bold.

Variable

<VAR> ... </VAR> Level 1

The Variable element indicates a variable name, typically rendered as italic.

Physical Format Elements

Physical format elements are used to specify the format of marked text.

Bold

<B> ... </B> Level 1

The Bold element specifies that the text should be rendered in boldface, where available. Otherwise, an alternative mapping is allowed.

Italic

<I> ... </I> Level 1

The Italic element specifies that the text should be rendered in an italic font, where available. Otherwise, an alternative mapping is allowed.

Teletype

<TT> ... </TT> Level 1

The Teletype element specifies that the text should be rendered in a fixed-width typewriter font.