You might see <aside> Element reference while reading someone else’s HTML, or need it while building a page of your own. Instead of memorizing a definition, look at a working example and see when the element makes sense.
The Idea in Plain English
Marks information related to, but separate from, the main flow, such as further reading or an author note.
For a reference page, pay attention to where the element is allowed, whether it needs a closing tag, and what other elements it can contain.
A Working Example
Read the sample once before copying it. Notice the element names and attribute values, then compare them with the explanation below.
<main>
<article><h1>Stars</h1><p>Stars produce their own light.</p></article>
<aside><h2>Related fact</h2><p>The Sun is a star.</p></aside>
</main>What Each Part Does
- The main landmark identifies the page’s primary content.
- An article identifies a self-contained piece of content.
- The h1 identifies the principal page heading.
The extra fact is recognizable as complementary content.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Using aside merely to place an arbitrary column at the side.
- Changing several parts of the example at once, making it difficult to see which part caused a different result.
- Choosing a tag only because its default appearance looks right, without checking whether it describes the content correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Marks information related to, but separate from, the main flow, such as further reading or an author note.
- The extra fact is recognizable as complementary content.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.