You might see <caption> 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
Gives a data table its own short accessible title. Put it as the first child of table.
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.
<table>
<caption>After-School Clubs</caption>
<tr><th scope="col">Club</th><th scope="col">Day</th></tr>
<tr><td>Robotics</td><td>Tuesday</td></tr>
</table>What Each Part Does
- The caption describes what the data table is about.
- A table represents information arranged in related rows and columns.
- A tr represents one row.
The table has an accessible title connected to its rows and columns.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Using a separate heading but forgetting a useful caption when table context is unclear.
- 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
- Gives a data table its own short accessible title. Put it as the first child of table.
- The table has an accessible title connected to its rows and columns.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.