Pre

<pre>: The Preformatted Text element #

::: section-content The <pre> HTML element represents preformatted text which is to be presented exactly as written in the HTML file. The text is typically rendered using a non-proportional, or monospaced{target="_blank"}, font. Whitespace inside this element is displayed as written. :::

Try it #

::: section-content ::: iframe ::: {.output-header .border-rounded-top}

HTML Demo: <pre> #

Reset :::

::: {#warning-no-script .warning-container} ::: warning The interactive example cannot be shown because JavaScript is disabled. ::: :::

::: {#warning-mathml-not-supported .warning-container .hidden} ::: warning The interactive example cannot be shown because MathML is not supported by your browser. ::: :::

::: {#editor-container .editor-container .tabbed-standard .hidden .border-rounded-bottom editor-type=“tabbed”} ::: {#tab-container .section .tabs} ::: {#tablist .tab-list role=“tablist”} HTML

CSS

JavaScript :::

::: {#html-panel .section .hidden tabindex=“0” role=“tabpanel” aria-labelledby=“html” aria-hidden=“true”} ::: {#html-editor}

L          TE
A       A
C    V
R A
DOU
LOU
REUSE
QUE TU
PORTES
ET QUI T'
ORNE O CI
VILISÉ
OTE-  TU VEUX
LA    BIEN
SI      RESPI
RER       - Apollinaire
::: :::

::: {#css-panel .section .hidden tabindex=“0” role=“tabpanel” aria-labelledby=“css” aria-hidden=“true”} ::: {#css-editor} pre { font-size: 0.7rem; margin: 0; } ::: :::

::: {#js-panel .section .hidden tabindex=“0” role=“tabpanel” aria-labelledby=“js” aria-hidden=“true”} ::: {#js-editor} ::: ::: :::

::: {#output .output-container}

Output #

::: :::

::: {.section .console-container .hidden aria-hidden=“true”}

Console Output #

![] clear console

::: {#console .console} ::: :::

::: {#html-output .output .editor-tabbed} %html-content% ::: :::

If you have to display reserved characters such as <, >, &, and " within the <pre> tag, the characters must be escaped using their respective HTML entity. :::

Attributes #

::: section-content This element only includes the global attributes.

cols [Non-standard]{.visually-hidden} [Deprecated]{.visually-hidden}

Contains the preferred count of characters that a line should have. It was a non-standard synonym of width. To achieve such an effect, use CSS width instead.

width [Deprecated]{.visually-hidden} [Non-standard]{.visually-hidden}

Contains the preferred count of characters that a line should have. Though technically still implemented, this attribute has no visual effect; to achieve such an effect, use CSS width instead.

wrap [Non-standard]{.visually-hidden} [Deprecated]{.visually-hidden}

Is a hint indicating how the overflow must happen. In modern browser this hint is ignored and no visual effect results in its present; to achieve such an effect, use CSS white-space instead. :::

Accessibility concerns #

::: section-content It is important to provide an alternate description for any images or diagrams created using preformatted text. The alternate description should clearly and concisely describe the image or diagram's content.

People experiencing low vision conditions and browsing with the aid of assistive technology such as a screen reader may not understand what the preformatted text characters are representing when they are read out in sequence.

A combination of the <figure> and <figcaption> elements, supplemented by the ARIA role and aria-label attributes on the pre element allow the preformatted ASCII art to be announced as an image with alternative text, and the figcaption serving as the image's caption. :::

Example #

::: section-content ::: code-example [html]{.language-name}

<figure>
  <pre role="img" aria-label="ASCII COW">
      ___________________________
  &lt; I'm an expert in my field. &gt;
      ---------------------------
          \   ^__^
           \  (oo)\_______
              (__)\       )\/\
                  ||----w |
                  ||     ||
  </pre>
  <figcaption id="cow-caption">
    A cow saying, "I'm an expert in my field." The cow is illustrated using
    preformatted text characters.
  </figcaption>
</figure>

:::

Examples #

Basic example #

::: section-content

HTML #

::: code-example [html]{.language-name}

<p>Using CSS to change the font color is easy.</p>
<pre>
body {
  color: red;
}
</pre>

:::

Result #

::: {#sect1 .code-example} ::: iframe ::: ::: :::

Escaping reserved characters #

::: section-content

HTML #

::: code-example [html]{.language-name}

<pre>
let i = 5;

if (i &lt; 10 &amp;&amp; i &gt; 0)
  return &quot;Single Digit Number&quot;
</pre>

:::

Result #

::: {#sect2 .code-example} ::: iframe ::: ::: :::

Technical summary #

::: section-content

Content categoriesFlow content, palpable content.
Permitted contentPhrasing content.
Tag omissionNone, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory.
Permitted parentsAny element that accepts flow content.
Implicit ARIA rolegeneric
Permitted ARIA rolesAny
DOM interfaceHTMLPreElement
:::

Specifications #

::: _table #

Specification #

HTML Standard
[# the-pre-element]{.small}

:::

Browser compatibility #

::: _table #

        Desktop                                                                       Mobile                                                           

        Chrome       Edge         Firefox      Internet     Opera        Safari       WebView      Chrome       Firefox for  Opera        Safari on    Samsung
                                               Explorer                               Android      Android      Android      Android      IOS          Internet

pre 1 12 1 Yes 15 ≤4 4.4 18 4 14 ≤3.2 1.0

cols No No 1–29 No No No No No 4–29 No No No

width 1 12 1 Yes 15 3 4.4 18 4 14 2 1.0

        Specifying   Specifying   Since        Specifying   Specifying   Specifying   Specifying   Specifying   Since        Specifying   Specifying   Specifying
        the `width`  the `width`  Firefox 29,  the `width`  the `width`  the `width`  the `width`  the `width`  Firefox 29,  the `width`  the `width`  the `width`
        attribute    attribute    specifying   attribute    attribute    attribute    attribute    attribute    specifying   attribute    attribute    attribute
        has no       has no       the `width`  has no       has no       has no       has no       has no       the `width`  has no       has no       has no
        layout       layout       attribute    layout       layout       layout       layout       layout       attribute    layout       layout       layout
        effect.      effect.      has no       effect.      effect.      effect.      effect.      effect.      has no       effect.      effect.      effect.
                                  layout                                                                        layout                                 
                                  effect.                                                                       effect.

wrap 16 79 1 No 15 6 4.4 18 4 14 6 1.0 #

:::

See also #

::: section-content

::: _attribution © 2005–2023 MDN contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/pre{._attribution-link} :::

Calendar December 2, 2023
Edit Edit this page