Layout elements
Like any other language, HTML contains elements that carry some meaning and compose content and elements that bring no meaning but exist only to organize content. The first group refers to semantic elements like <form>
, <table>
, and <article>
, while the second group contains non-semantic elements like <div>
and <span>
.
Such semantic elements like <header>
, <nav>
, <section>
, <article>
,<aside>
, and <footer>
define the most typical website layouts. From the accessibility perspective, it's crucial to respect semantics and use the right element for the right job. It helps assistive technologies like screenreaders recognize section elements and navigate users with visual or motor impairments to places they need, like main navigation or footer.