On The <dl> (2021) (benmyers.dev)

Article summary

The article discusses the HTML element <dl>, which is used to represent a list of name-value pairs, and its associated elements <dt> and <dd>. The author explains the anatomy of a description list and provides examples of how to use it. The article also touches on the importance of semantics in HTML and how it can improve accessibility. The author argues that using the <dl> element can provide benefits for screenreader users, such as being able to skip over lists or navigate through them more easily.

Main themes

• HTML semantics
• Accessibility
• Web development
• Screenreader support
• HTML elements

What commenters say

• The <dl> element is underutilized and should be used more often to improve accessibility and semantics in HTML.
• Custom-named elements are equivalent to <div> elements and do not provide any additional semantic meaning.
• The distinction between <b> and <strong> elements is unnecessary and they should be considered equivalent.
• The HTML spec is restrictive in its behavior, allowing only <div> elements to wrap <dt> and <dd> elements.
• Using semantic elements like <dl> can provide benefits for screenreader users, but support is not yet universal.
• CSS Grid can be used to style <dl> elements without the need for extra <div> wrappers.
• The definition of <b> has changed over time, and its purpose is now to bring attention to text rather than make it bold.
• Nesting <dl> elements is not explicitly addressed in the article, but it may be a valid use case in certain situations.