HTML Blog Archive Markup: Article Previews and Publication Dates

A blog archive is a collection of article previews. Each preview should stand on its own with a descriptive linked title and a short summary.

What You Need to Know

Use a main heading for the archive and article elements for posts. Dates can use time if you display publication information.

The goal is not to collect as many tags as possible. Pick the element that best describes what the content really is.

Example: See It in Action

Add this example to the appropriate part of a practice HTML page. Read each line before you open the page in your browser.

This is a short HTML fragment. To try it as a webpage, put it inside the body element of a complete HTML document.

<main>
    <h1>Latest Posts</h1>
    <article>
        <h2><a href="post-1.html">Garden Notes</a>
        </h2>
        <p>New flowers are appearing.</p>
    </article>
    <article>
        <h2><a href="post-2.html">Weekend Projects</a>
        </h2>
        <p>Try a small DIY project.</p>
    </article>
</main>

Let’s Understand the Example

• Main identifies the central content of the page; it should not be duplicated as separate visible main landmarks.
• An h1 introduces the main subject of the page. Use the heading level for structure rather than font size.
• Article marks a piece that could make sense on its own, such as a news post or recipe.
• Href contains the destination of a link. A value starting with # points to an id on the same page.

The first example link points to post-1.html. Check whether that destination exists relative to the document. A link changes where readers go; it does not perform an action such as saving a form.

What Should You See?

The page should display “Latest Posts” as a heading, followed by its related content. Change the heading text and refresh the browser to see the result.

Read only the headings, from top to bottom. Do they tell a sensible story? If not, move sections or choose levels that match the content.

Try It Yourself

1. Add a third preview with a unique title and summary.
2. Save your changes, open or refresh the page, and compare the result with the original example.
3. Tell a friend what your change did. If you are not sure, undo it, refresh the page, and compare.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Making every preview link read Read more without naming the article.
• Avoid picking tags just for their default bold, italic or spaced appearance. Use CSS for presentation.

Key Takeaways

• A blog archive is a collection of article previews.
• Main identifies the central content of the page; it should not be duplicated as separate visible main landmarks.
• Use a main heading for the archive and article elements for posts. Dates can use time if you display publication information.