HTML Creating Tables

Creating Tables in HTML

HTML tables are used to present data in a structured format. They consist of rows and columns, where each row represents a record and each column represents a field of that record.

Basic Structure of a Table

The basic structure of an HTML table is defined using the following elements:

  • <table> - Defines the table.
  • <tr> - Defines a table row.
  • <th> - Defines a header cell.
  • <td> - Defines a standard cell.

Example of a Simple Table

Here’s an example of a simple table:

<table border="1">
  <tr>
    <th>Name</th>
    <th>Age</th>
    <th>City</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>John Doe</td>
    <td>30</td>
    <td>New York</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Jane Smith</td>
    <td>25</td>
    <td>Los Angeles</td>
  </tr>
</table>
            

Output of the Simple Table

The above code will render the following table:

Name Age City
John Doe 30 New York
Jane Smith 25 Los Angeles

Table Attributes

HTML tables can also have various attributes to control their appearance:

  • border - Specifies the width of the border around the table.
  • cellpadding - Specifies the space between the cell content and its border.
  • cellspacing - Specifies the space between individual table cells.
  • width - Sets the width of the table.

Example of Table with Attributes

Here's an example of a table with additional attributes:

<table border="1" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" width="50%">
  <tr>
    <th>Product</th>
    <th>Price</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Apple</td>
    <td>$1.00</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Banana</td>
    <td>$0.50</td>
  </tr>
</table>
            

Output of the Table with Attributes

The above code will render the following table:

Product Price
Apple $1.00
Banana $0.50

Table Headers and Footers

HTML also allows the use of <thead>, <tbody>, and <tfoot> elements for grouping table rows:

<table border="1">
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Year</th>
      <th>Sales</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>2021</td>
      <td>$1000</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>2022</td>
      <td>$1500</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
  <tfoot>
    <tr>
      <td>Total</td>
      <td>$2500</td>
    </tr>
  </tfoot>
</table>
            

Output of Table with Headers and Footers

The above code will render the following table:

Year Sales
2021 $1000
2022 $1500
Total $2500

Nested Tables

You can also create nested tables within a cell of a parent table:

<table border="1">
  <tr>
    <td>
      <table border="1">
        <tr>
          <td>Nested Cell 1</td>
          <td>Nested Cell 2</td>
        </tr>
      </table>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>
            

Output of Nested Table

The above code will render the following table:

Nested Cell 1 Nested Cell 2

Conclusion

HTML tables are a powerful tool for displaying data in a clear and structured way. Understanding how to create and style tables is essential for web development.