Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic Elements: Tests And Results

  1. Introduction
  2. The Test And How To Interpret The Results
  3. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic header Element: Test And Results
  4. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic main Element: Test And Results
  5. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic footer Element: Test And Results
  6. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic nav Element: Test And Results
  7. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic section Element: Test And Results
  8. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic article Element: Test And Results
  9. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic aside Element: Test And Results

1. Introduction

IE9+, ED12+, FF1.5+, SF3.1+, CH2+, and OP8+ style; 1.) unknown HTML elements as type selectors, and 2.) unknown HTML elements that are classed. To demonstrate, consider, for example, the following:

Test CSS

abc, .classed, span, div {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

Unknown <code>abc</code> element as type selector: <abc>test text</abc>
<p>---</p>
Unknown <code>xyz</code> element classed: <xyz class="classed">test text</xyz>
<p>---</p>
Known <code>span</code> element as type selector: <span>test text</span>
<p>---</p>
Known <code>div</code> element as type selector: <div>test text</div>

Test

Unknown abc element as type selector: test text

---

Unknown xyz element classed: test text

---

Known span element as type selector: test text

---

Known div element as type selector:
test text

Results

Web browser support for styling the unknown abc element as type selector and the user agent styles styling it as an inline element (i.e., styling it like the span element, not the div element, as type selector): IE9+, ED12+, FF1.5+, SF3.1+, CH2+, OP8+

Web browser support for styling the unknown xyz element classed and the user agent styles styling it as an inline element (i.e., styling it like the span element, not the div element, as type selector): IE9+, ED12+, FF1.5+, SF3.1+, CH2+, OP8+

Web browser no support for styling the unknown abc element as type selector: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.

Web browser no support for styling the unknown xyz element classed: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.

That web browsers style unknown elements as type selectors as inline elements makes it difficult to determine if a web browser's support for an element is intentional as a known element, or unintentional as an unknown element.


2. The Test And How To Interpret The Results

Test CSS

element {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <element>test text</element> after

The Test And How To Interpret The Results

If test text looks like the following, then the web browser supports element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element:

before
test text
after

If test text looks like the following, then the web browser supports element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element:

before test text after

If test text looks like the following, then the web browser does not support element:

before test text after


3. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic header Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

header {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <header>test text</header> after

Test

before
test text
after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic header element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: IE9+, ED12+, FF4+, SF5+, CH5+, OP11.10+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic header element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: FF1.5 - 3.6.28, SF3.1 - 4.0.5, CH2 - 4, OP8 - 11.01.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic header element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.


4. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic main Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

main {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <main>test text</main> after

Test

before
test text
after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic main element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: ED12+, FF21+, SF?, CH26+, OP15+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic main element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: IE9+, FF1.5 - 20, SF3.1 - 5.1.7, CH2 - 25, OP8 - 12.17.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic main element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.


5. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic footer Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

footer {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <footer>test text</footer> after

Test

before after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic footer element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: IE9+, ED12+, FF4+, SF5+, CH5+, OP11.10+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic footer element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: FF1.5 - 3.6.28, SF3.1 - 4.0.5, CH2 - 4, OP8 - 11.01.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic footer element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.


6. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic nav Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

nav {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <nav>test text</nav> after

Test

before after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic nav element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: IE9+, ED12+, FF4+, SF5+, CH4+, OP11.10+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic nav element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: FF1.5 - 3.6.28, SF3.1 - 4.0.5, CH2 - 3, OP8 - 11.01.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic nav element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.


7. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic section Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

section {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <section>test text</section> after

Test

before
test text
after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic section element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: IE9+, ED12+, FF4+, SF5+, CH5+, OP11.10+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic section element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: FF1.5 - 3.6.28, SF3.1 - 4.0.5, CH2 - 4, OP8 - 11.01.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic section element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.


8. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic article Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

article {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <article>test text</article> after

Test

before
test text
after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic article element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: IE9+, ED12+, FF4+, SF5+, CH5+, OP11.10+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic article element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: FF1.5 - 3.6.28, SF3.1 - 4.0.5, CH2 - 4, OP8 - 11.01.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic article element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.


9. Web Browser Support For The New HTML5 Semantic aside Element: Test And Results

Test CSS

aside {
  width: 200px;
  height: 50px;
  background-color: limegreen;
  color: white;
  border: 2px solid blue;
}

Test HTML

before <aside>test text</aside> after

Test

before after

Results

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic aside element and the user agent styles style it as a block-level element: IE9+, ED12+, FF4+, SF5+, CH5+, OP11.10+.

Web browser support for the new HTML5 semantic aside element (as a known or unknown element) and the user agent styles style it as an inline element: FF1.5 - 3.6.28, SF3.1 - 4.0.5, CH2 - 4, OP8 - 11.01.

Web browser no support for the new HTML5 semantic aside element: IE6 - 8, OP7.50 - 7.54u2.

Last reviewed/updated: 26 Oct 2016 | Published: 28 Oct 2015 | Status: Active

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