Many times students in competitive exams get confused between “Elements” and “Tags.” In my teachings, I always explain it this way: If a building is an HTML document, the elements are the individual bricks and windows, and the attributes are the colors and sizes of those bricks.
In this guide, we will break down the building blocks of the web and look at the “hidden” attributes that make your website functional.
1. What are HTML Elements?
An HTML element is the complete set of an opening tag, the content, and a closing tag.
- Opening Tag (
<tagname>): The signal that a feature starts here. - Content: The text or images that your users in Hyderabad or Delhi will see.
- Closing Tag (
</tagname>): The signal that the feature ends.
Important – Some elements are “Void” or “Self-closing” (like
<br>or<img>). Think of them like a full stop at the end of a sentence—they don’t need a closing partner!
2. Block-Level vs. Inline Elements (The Exam Logic)
This is a favorite topic for technical exams. You must understand the difference in how they “behave” on the screen.
2.1 Block-Level Elements
These elements are “selfish”—they take up the entire width of the line.
- Examples:
<div>,<h1>,<p>,<ul>. - Analogy: Like a single-seater row in a crowded TSRTC bus—no one else can sit next to them!
2.2 Inline Elements
These are “friendly” and only take up as much space as they need.
- Examples:
<span>,<a>,<strong>,<em>. - Analogy: Like friends sitting together on a bench—they make room for others on the same line.
3. What are HTML Attributes? (The Control Room)
If an element is a person, attributes are their characteristics (height, name, ID). Attributes live inside the Opening Tag and provide extra info to the browser.
| Attribute | Practical Use Case | Why it’s Important |
id | Unique ID (e.g., student_id). | Essential for JavaScript and CSS. |
class | Group ID (e.g., set_aspirants). | Used to style many elements at once. |
href | Link Destination. | How you link to the NTA or SET portals. |
alt | Alternate text for images. | SEO Priority: Helps Google understand your images. |
4. The id vs. class Confusion
I often see students in my lab sessions using id for everything. Here is the LarasAcademy Rule:
- ID is Unique: Like your Aadhaar Number. Only one element can have a specific ID.
- Class is a Group: Like a “Classroom.” Many elements (students) can belong to the same class.
5. Global & Boolean Attributes (Advanced Knowledge)
To be a professional developer in Bengaluru or HITEC City, you need to know more than just id and class.
contenteditable="true": This is a fun one! It allows the user to edit text directly on the screen. Try it in your lab!tabindex: Controls the order when a user hits the “Tab” key. Critical for Accessibility.- Boolean Attributes: Attributes like
disabledorrequireddon’t need a value. If they are present, they are “True.” (e.g.,<input required>).
6. Full Example: Building a Student Profile
Let’s combine everything we’ve learned into a real-world student card structure.
HTML
<div class="student-card">
<h2 id="student-name">Namaste, Sravani!</h2>
<p class="exam-status">Status: <strong>Enrolled</strong></p>
<img src="profile.jpg" alt="Student Profile Photo">
<a href="results.html" title="Check your SET Results">View Results</a>
</div>
