HTML multicol tag

81 - Views

4 mins

1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

Introduction

In the early days of web development, the <multicol> tag was introduced to allow content to be displayed in multiple columns, similar to newspaper layouts.

This guide will explore the purpose, usage, and alternatives to the now-deprecated <multicol> tag.

What is <multicol> Tag?

The <multicol> tag was designed to split content into multiple columns, enhancing the visual layout of text-heavy web pages. However, it has since been deprecated and is no longer recommended for use in modern web development.

Deprecated Status:

The <multicol> tag is deprecated, meaning it is no longer supported by modern browsers and should not be used in new projects. The deprecation reflects a shift towards using CSS for creating multi-column layouts, providing more flexibility and control.

Syntax

The syntax for the <multicol> tag is straightforward, but due to its deprecated status, it should be avoided:

index.html

Copied

<multicol cols="3">
  Your content here...
</multicol>

Attributes

The <multicol> tag supported a few attributes, primarily to define the number of columns:

• cols: Specifies the number of columns for the content.
  index.html

  Copied

  

  <multicol cols="2">
    This content will be split into two columns.
  </multicol>

Common Use Cases

Before its deprecation, the <multicol> tag was used to:

1. Create newspaper-style layouts.
2. Organize lengthy text into readable sections.

Browser Support

Due to its deprecated status, support for the <multicol> tag is inconsistent across modern browsers:

• Google Chrome: Not supported.
• Mozilla Firefox: Not supported.
• Microsoft Edge: Not supported.
• Safari: Not supported.
• Opera: Not supported.
• Internet Explorer: Partial support (some versions may have limitations).

Using this tag in contemporary web development is not advised, as it may not render correctly across different browsers.

Best Practices

Given the deprecation of the <multicol> tag, follow these best practices:

• Avoid using deprecated tags: Refrain from using <multicol> in any new projects.
• Use CSS for multi-column layouts: CSS provides robust tools for creating responsive, multi-column designs.

Alternatives

Modern web development favors CSS for creating multi-column layouts. The CSS column-count property offers a flexible and powerful alternative to the deprecated <multicol> tag.

Example using CSS:

index.html

Copied

<style>
  .multicol-container {
    column-count: 3;
  }
</style>

<div class="multicol-container">
  Your content here...
</div>

Conclusion

While the <multicol> tag played a role in the early web development era, it has since been deprecated in favor of more versatile and powerful CSS properties.

Modern developers should leverage CSS to create multi-column layouts, ensuring compatibility and flexibility across all browsers and devices.

Join our Community:

To get interesting news and instant updates on Front-End, Back-End, CMS and other Frameworks. Please Join the Telegram Channel:

Telegram 450

Author

Hey, I'm Mari Selvan

For over eight years, I worked as a full-stack web developer. Now, I have chosen my profession as a full-time blogger at codetofun.com.

Buy me a coffee to make codetofun.com free for everyone.

Buy me a Coffee

Share Your Findings to All