Understanding HTML Tables

HTML Tables

Tables display tabular data in rows and columns. Use them for actual data — not for page layout (use CSS for that).

Table Structure

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr><th>Name</th><th>Age</th></tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr><td>Sara</td><td>25</td></tr>
    <tr><td>Ali</td><td>30</td></tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Key Elements

• <table> — the container.
• <tr> — table row.
• <th> — header cell (bold, centered).
• <td> — data cell.

Spanning Cells

<td colspan="2">Spans 2 columns</td>
<td rowspan="3">Spans 3 rows</td>

FAQs

Should I use tables for layout?

No — use CSS Grid or Flexbox. Tables are for data only. More in our HTML section.

How do I make tables responsive?

Wrap in a scrollable container or use CSS to stack cells on mobile.