HTML archive Attribute

Introduction

The archive attribute in HTML is used with the <object> element to specify a space-separated list of URLs of archives containing resources relevant to the object. This attribute is now largely obsolete, but it can still be found in older codebases. Understanding its purpose and usage can be helpful when maintaining or updating legacy HTML documents.

What You’ll Learn

Purpose of archive Attribute

The primary purpose of the archive attribute is to provide a list of URLs for archive files (like .zip or .jar files) that contain resources the object might need. This was particularly useful in the context of applets and other embedded objects that required additional resources bundled together.

📝 Syntax

Add archive to an <object> element with one or more space-separated archive URLs:

<object data="myApp.jar" type="application/java-archive" archive="lib1.jar lib2.jar">
  <!-- Fallback content -->
</object>

Syntax Rules

• Used on <object> (and historically <applet>).
• Value is a space-separated list of URL strings.
• Each URL should point to an archive file the object may load.
• Always include fallback content inside <object> for unsupported browsers.

💎 Values

The archive attribute accepts a space-separated list of URL values. Each URL should point to an archive file containing resources for the object.

• Single URL — archive="example1.jar" references one archive file.
• Multiple URLs — archive="example1.jar example2.jar" lists several archives separated by spaces.
• Relative or absolute — URLs may be paths on the same site or full https:// addresses.

<!-- Single archive -->
<object archive="example1.jar" ...></object>

<!-- Multiple archives -->
<object archive="lib1.jar lib2.jar" ...></object>

Applicable Elements

Examples Gallery

Single archive URL, multiple archives, a complete object example, and dynamic JavaScript.

<object data="example.jar" type="application/java-archive" archive="example1.jar">
  <!-- Fallback content -->
</object>

<object data="example.jar" type="application/java-archive" archive="example1.jar example2.jar">
  <!-- Fallback content -->
</object>

<object data="myApp.jar" type="application/java-archive" archive="lib1.jar lib2.jar">
  <!-- Fallback content for browsers that do not support the object element -->
  Your browser does not support Java applets.
</object>

<object id="myObject" type="application/x-java-applet">
  Your browser does not support Java applets.
</object>

<script>
  document.getElementById("myObject").setAttribute("archive", "dynamicLib1.jar dynamicLib2.jar");
</script>

♿ Accessibility

• Provide fallback content — Always include readable text inside <object> when the embedded resource cannot load.
• Do not rely on applets — Java applets are inaccessible to most modern users; migrate to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Describe embedded content — If you must embed media, offer equivalent content in plain HTML nearby.
• Avoid plugin-only interfaces — Legacy objects often blocked keyboard and screen reader access.

💡 Best Practices