HTML Lists

HTML List Example

An Unordered List:

  • Item
  • Item
  • Item
  • Item

An Ordered List:

  1. First item
  2. Second item
  3. Third item
  4. Fourth item
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Unordered HTML List

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) by default:

Example

<ul>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>

Unordered HTML List - Choose List Item Marker

The CSS list-style-type property is used to define the style of the list item marker:
ValueDescription
discSets the list item marker to a bullet (default)
circleSets the list item marker to a circle
squareSets the list item marker to a square
noneThe list items will not be marked

Example - Disc

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

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

<ul style="list-style-type:square">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>
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Example - None

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

An ordered list starts with the <ol> tag. Each list item starts with the <li> tag.
The list items will be marked with numbers by default:

Example

<ol>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>
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Ordered HTML List - The Type Attribute

The type attribute of the <ol> tag, defines the type of the list item marker:
TypeDescription
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>
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Uppercase Letters:

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

<ol type="a">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>
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Uppercase Roman Numbers:

<ol type="I">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>
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Lowercase Roman Numbers:

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

HTML also supports description lists.
A description list is a list of terms, with a description of each term.
The <dl> tag defines the description list, the <dt> tag defines the term (name), and the <dd> tag describes each term: 

Example

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

List can be nested (lists inside lists):

Example

<ul>
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea
    <ul>
      <li>Black tea</li>
      <li>Green tea</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ul>
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Note: List items can contain new list, and other HTML elements, like images and links, etc.

Control List Counting

By default, an ordered list will start counting from 1. If you want to start counting from a specified number, you can use the start attribute:

Example

<ol start="50">
  <li>Coffee</li>
  <li>Tea</li>
  <li>Milk</li>
</ol>
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Horizontal Lists

HTML lists can be styled in many different ways with CSS.
One popular way is to style a list horizontally, to create a menu:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
ul {
    list-style-type: none;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0;
    overflow: hidden;
    background-color: #333333;}

li {
    float: left;}

li a {
    display: block;
    color: white;
    text-align: center;
    padding: 16px;
    text-decoration: none;}

li a:hover {
    background-color: #111111;}</style>
</head>
<body>

<ul>
  <li><a href="#home">Home</a></li>
  <li><a href="#news">News</a></li>
  <li><a href="#contact">Contact</a></li>
  <li><a href="#about">About</a></li>
</ul>

</body>
</html>
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Chapter Summary

  • Use the HTML <ul> element to define an unordered list
  • Use the CSS list-style-type property to define the list item marker
  • 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 describe the term in a description list
  • Lists can be nested inside lists
  • List items can contain other HTML elements
  • Use the CSS property float:left or display:inline to display a list horizontally

Test Yourself with Exercises!

HTML List Tags

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