HTML Tutorial 17

HTML Lists

HTML can have Unordered lists, Ordered lists, or Description lists:

Unordered List

• The first item
• The second item
• The third item
• The fourth item

Ordered List

1. The first item
2. The second item
3. The third item
4. The fourth item

Description List

The first item

Description of item

The second item

Description of item

---

Unordered HTML Lists

An unordered list starts with the <ul> tag. Each list item starts with the <li> tag.

The list items will be marked with bullets (small black circles).

Unordered List:

<ul>
  <li>Coffee</li>

Unordered HTML Lists - The Style Attribute

A style attribute can be added to an unordered list, to define the style of the marker:

Style	Description
list-style-type:disc	The list items will be marked with bullets (default)
list-style-type:circle	The list items will be marked with circles
list-style-type:square	The list items will be marked with squares
list-style-type:none	The list items will not be marked

Disc:

<ul style="list-style-type:disc">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

Circle:

<ul style="list-style-type:circle">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

Square:

<ul style="list-style-type:square">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

None:

<ul style="list-style-type:none">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

Ordered HTML Lists

An ordered list starts with the <ol> tag. Each list item starts with the <li> tag.

The list items will be marked with numbers.

Ordered List:

<ol>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>

Ordered HTML Lists - The Type Attribute

A type attribute can be added to an ordered list, to define the type of the marker:

Type	Description
type="1"	The list items will be numbered with numbers (default)
type="A"	The list items will be numbered with uppercase letters
type="a"	The list items will be numbered with lowercase letters
type="I"	The list items will be numbered with uppercase roman numbers
type="i"	The list items will be numbered with lowercase roman numbers

Numbers:

<ol type="1">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>

Upper Case:

<ol type="A">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>

Lower Case:

<ol type="a">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>

Roman Upper Case:

<ol type="I">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>

Roman Lower Case:

<ol type="i">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>

HTML Description Lists

A description list, is a list of terms, with a description of each term.

The <dl> tag defines a description list.

The <dt> tag defines the term (name), and the <dd> tag defines the data (description).

Description List:

<dl>
  <dt>Coffee</dt>
  <dd>- black hot drink</dd>
  <dt>Milk</dt>
  <dd>- white cold drink</dd>
</dl> 

Nested HTML Lists

List can be nested (lists inside lists).

Nested Lists:

<ul>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea
    <ul>
      <li>Black tea</li>
      <li>Green tea</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

Horizontal Lists

HTML lists can be styled in many different ways with CSS.

One popular way, is to style a list to display horizontally:

Horizontal List:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
<style>
ul#menu li {
    display:inline;
}
</style>
</head>

<body>

<h2>Horizontal List</h2>

<ul id="menu">
  <li>HTML</li>
  <li>CSS</li>
  <li>JavaScript</li>
  <li>PHP</li>
</ul>

</body>
</html>With a little extra style, you can make it look like a menu:

New Style:

ul#menu {
    padding: 0;
}

ul#menu li {
    display: inline;
}

ul#menu li a {
    background-color: black;
    color: white;
    padding: 10px 20px;
    text-decoration: none;
    border-radius: 4px 4px 0 0;
}

ul#menu li a:hover {
    background-color: orange;
}

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Chapter Summary

• Use the HTML <ul> element to define an unordered list
• Use the HTML style attribute to define the bullet style
• Use the HTML <ol> element to define an ordered list
• Use the HTML type attribute to define the numbering type
• Use the HTML <li> element to define a list item
• Use the HTML <dl> element to define a description list
• Use the HTML <dt> element to define the description term
• Use the HTML <dd> element to define the description data
• Lists can be nested inside lists
• List items can contain other HTML elements
• Use the CSS property display:inline to display a list horizontally

• HTML List Tags

  Tag	Description
  <ul>	Defines an unordered list
  <ol>	Defines an ordered list
  <li>	Defines a list item
  <dl>	Defines a description list
  <dt>	Defines the term in a description list
  <dd>	Defines the description in a description list