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HTML Introduction to HTML and CSS (2016) Make It Beautiful With CSS Select and Style by Element

Routine Poutine
Routine Poutine
26,050 Points
Posted by Routine Poutine
Routine Poutine
26,050 Points

Are "attribute" and "property" synonymous, as HTML has attribute:value pairs and CSS has property:value pairs?

Hi,

I'm trying to wrap my mind around the vocabulary for HTML and CSS. When we say an HTML tag has an attribute and a CSS rule has a property, are we saying the same thing or are these different categories? JavaScript objects have properties, does that make them more like a CSS rule than an HTML tag, or all three describing the same thing?

Best,

Matt

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,268 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,268 Points

Depending on the context, those words are sometimes used interchangeably. But in other contexts they can have specific and different meanings.

For example, jQuery has different methods for accessing a property and an attribute. One can say a checkbox element has a "checked" property and also an attribute. The attribute should be used only to set the initial value of the checkbox. The checked attribute value does not change with the state of the checkbox, while the checked property does.