Learning font Tag in HTML

Learning font Tag in HTML

5 mins readComment
Esha
Esha Gupta
Associate Senior Executive
Updated on Apr 19, 2024 13:50 IST

Have you ever wondered how web pages were styled before the widespread adoption of CSS? The <font> tag in HTML was a key tool for this purpose. Used primarily in earlier versions of HTML, this tag allowed developers to directly specify the font size, color, and family of text elements on web pages. Let's understand more!

In HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), tags are the basic building blocks used to create web pages. They are used to define and structure the content of a webpage. In this blog, we will dive deeper into font tag in HTML.

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What is a font Tag in HTML?

The <font> tag in HTML was used to define the font size, color, and face (font family) for text content within the document. The <font> tag in HTML was primarily used for specifying the font attributes of text in a webpage, such as the font size, font color, and font face (type). This tag made it easy to apply these styles directly within the HTML content. 

Syntax of font Tag in HTML

<font attribute1="value1" attribute2="value2" ...>Your text here</font>

The <font> tag could include several attributes, with the most common ones given below.

  • size: To specify the size of the font.
  • color: To define the color of the text.
  • face: To set the font family.

Usage of HTML font Tag with Examples

Let's see some examples showing the usage of the font tag in HTML.

Example 1: Highlighting a Header with a Larger Font Size

Problem Statement: We want to make a webpage header more prominent by increasing its font size.


    
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example of Font Tag - Header</title>
</head>
<body>
<!-- Using the font tag to increase the size of the header -->
<font size="6">Welcome to Our Website</font>
</body>
</html>
Copy code

Output

 

Example 2: Displaying a Warning in Red Color

Problem Statement: We need to display a warning message in red to draw attention.


 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example of Font Tag - Warning Message</title>
</head>
<body>
<!-- Using the font tag to change the color of the warning message to red -->
<font color="red">Warning: This action cannot be undone.</font>
</body>
</html>
Copy code

Output

 

Example 3: Using a Specific Font Face for a Quote

Problem Statement: We want a specific quote to be displayed in the "Times New Roman" font for stylistic consistency.


 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example of Font Tag - Quote</title>
</head>
<body>
<!-- Using the font tag to set the font face to Times New Roman for the quote -->
<font face="Times New Roman">"To be or not to be, that is the question."</font>
</body>
</html>
Copy code

Output

 

Example 4: Combining Font Size and Color

Problem Statement: We need to display a special offer in both a larger size and a different color to make it more eye-catching.


 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example of Font Tag - Special Offer</title>
</head>
<body>
<!-- Using the font tag to increase the size and change the color of the special offer text -->
<font size="5" color="green">Special Offer: 50% Off!</font>
</body>
</html>
Copy code

Output

 

Example 5: Emphasizing a Section with Different Font Attributes

Problem Statement: We want to emphasize a section of text by changing its font size, color, and type for a distinct look.


 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example of Font Tag - Emphasized Text</title>
</head>
<body>
<!-- Using the font tag with multiple attributes to emphasize the text -->
<font size="4" color="blue" face="Arial">Important: Please read the instructions carefully.</font>
</body>
</html>
Copy code

Output

 

 It's important to note that the <font> tag is deprecated in HTML5 and is no longer recommended for use in modern web development. For modern web development, CSS should be used to achieve these effects.

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Key Takeaways

  • The <font> tag is deprecated in HTML5, meaning it is no longer recommended for use in modern web development. This is due to advancements in CSS, which offer more flexibility and control over web design.

  • In earlier versions of HTML, the <font> tag was used to define the font size, color, and typeface for text on a webpage. It provided a simple way to style text directly within HTML documents.

  • The <font> tag's styling capabilities are now achieved using CSS. CSS is more powerful and provides a cleaner separation of content (HTML) and presentation (CSS), a widely accepted best practice in web development.

  • While you might still encounter the <font> tag in older websites, using CSS for styling in new web projects is important. Modern web browsers still support the tag for backward compatibility, but its usage is not advisable for creating contemporary, maintainable web pages.

FAQs

What is the purpose of the font tag in HTML?

The font tag is used to specify the font face, size, and color of text within an HTML document. It allows web developers to style text in various ways directly within HTML, although it's now considered outdated and replaced by CSS.

Why is the font tag not recommended in modern HTML?

The font tag is deprecated in HTML5, meaning it's no longer standard practice to use it. This is because CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) offers more flexibility and control over web design, promoting the separation of content (HTML) and style (CSS).

How was the font tag typically used in HTML?

The font tag was used by enclosing text and specifying attributes like face for the font type, size for the size of the text, and color for the text color. However, this practice is now replaced with CSS styling.

What are the alternatives to using the font tag in modern web design?

The modern approach to styling text is using CSS. Properties such as font-family, font-size, and color in a CSS file or within a style tag in HTML are the standard methods for styling text.

Can the font tag still be used in HTML5?

While the font tag can still function in HTML5, it's not compliant with HTML5 standards. Browsers may still support it for backward compatibility, but its use is discouraged in favor of CSS styling for better consistency and forward compatibility.

About the Author
author-image
Esha Gupta
Associate Senior Executive

Hello, world! I'm Esha Gupta, your go-to Technical Content Developer focusing on Java, Data Structures and Algorithms, and Front End Development. Alongside these specialities, I have a zest for immersing myself in v... Read Full Bio