You might see <menu> 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
Represents a list of commands or items. In current HTML it behaves much like an unordered list; it does not automatically create a keyboard-accessible application menu.
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.
<menu>
<li><button type="button">Save</button></li>
<li><button type="button">Share</button></li>
</menu>What Each Part Does
- The menu is a list of actions or items, not an automatic rich app menu.
- An li is a single list item.
- A button performs an action; type="submit" can submit its form.
- type chooses the relevant kind of script, input, media or embedded object.
A list of action buttons appears.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Assuming menu supplies advanced menu-keyboard behavior without JavaScript.
- 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
- Represents a list of commands or items. In current HTML it behaves much like an unordered list; it does not automatically create a keyboard-accessible application menu.
- A list of action buttons appears.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.