<header>: The Header element
Baseline Widely available
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since July 2015.
The <header> HTML element represents introductory content, typically a group of introductory or navigational aids. It may contain some heading elements but also a logo, a search form, an author name, and other elements.
Try it
<header> <a class="logo" href="#">Cute Puppies Express!</a> </header> <article> <header> <h1>Beagles</h1> <time>08.12.2014</time> </header> <p> I love beagles <em>so</em> much! Like, really, a lot. They’re adorable and their ears are so, so snugly soft! </p> </article> .logo { background: left / cover url("/shared-assets/images/examples/puppy-header.jpg"); display: flex; height: 120px; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font: bold calc(1em + 2 * (100vw - 120px) / 100) "Dancing Script", fantasy; color: #ff0083; text-shadow: black 2px 2px 0.2rem; } header > h1 { margin-bottom: 0; } header > time { font: italic 0.7rem sans-serif; } Usage notes
When not nested within sectioning content, <main>, or an element with the same ARIA role as these elements' implicit ARIA role, then the <header> element has an identical meaning to the site-wide banner landmark role. It defines a global site header, which usually includes a logo, company name, search feature, and possibly the global navigation or a slogan. It is generally located at the top of the page.
Otherwise, when nested within said elements, it loses its landmark status and represents a group of introductory or navigational aids for the surrounding section. It usually contains the surrounding section's heading (an h1 – h6 element) and optional subheading, but this is not required.
Historical Usage
The <header> element originally existed at the very beginning of HTML for headings. It is seen in the very first website. At some point, headings became <h1> through <h6>, allowing <header> to be free to fill a different role.
Attributes
This element only includes the global attributes.
Accessibility
The <header> element defines a banner landmark when its context is the <body> element.
When placed inside an <article>, <main>, <section>, <nav>, <aside>, or an element with the same ARIA role as these elements' implicit ARIA role, the <header> element has the generic role instead, and is no longer considered a landmark. In this case, it cannot be labeled with aria-label or aria-labelledby.
Examples
Page Header
<header> <h1>Main Page Title</h1> <img src="mdn-logo-sm.png" alt="MDN logo" /> </header> Result
Article Header
<article> <header> <h2>The Planet Earth</h2> <p> Posted on Wednesday, <time datetime="2017-10-04">4 October 2017</time> by Jane Smith </p> </header> <p> We live on a planet that's blue and green, with so many things still unseen. </p> <p><a href="https://example.com/the-planet-earth/">Continue reading…</a></p> </article> Result
Technical summary
| Content categories | Flow content, palpable content. |
|---|---|
| Permitted content | Flow content, but with no <header> or <footer> descendant. |
| Tag omission | None, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory. |
| Permitted parents | Any element that accepts flow content. Note that a <header> element must not be a descendant of an <address>, <footer> or another <header> element. |
| Implicit ARIA role | banner, or generic if a descendant of an article, aside, main, nav or section element, or an element with article, complementary, main, navigation or region role |
| Permitted ARIA roles | group, presentation or none |
| DOM interface | HTMLElement |
Specifications
| Specification |
|---|
| HTML # the-header-element |
Browser compatibility
Loading…