The “charset” attribute in <meta> tags are used to specify the character encoding used by the HTML document. Character encoding determines how characters are represented and interpreted by the browser when rendering the web page. By explicitly defining the character encoding, developers ensure proper text display and avoid encoding-related issues.
Syntax
<meta charset="character_encoding">| Key Point | Description |
|---|---|
| Character Encoding | The “charset” attribute specifies the character encoding used in the HTML document, such as UTF-8, ISO-8859-1, or Windows-1252. |
| UTF-8 Encoding | UTF-8 is the most commonly used character encoding for modern web pages, supporting a wide range of characters from various languages and scripts. |
| Compatibility | Specifying the correct character encoding ensures that text content is rendered accurately across different browsers and devices. |
| Default Encoding | If the “charset” attribute is omitted, the browser may use the default character encoding specified in the HTTP Content-Type header or assume a default encoding such as UTF-8. |
Features
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Basic Usage: Specify the character encoding using the “charset” attribute within the
<meta>tag - UTF-8 Encoding: UTF-8 is widely recommended for web pages due to its compatibility with a broad range of characters and languages
- Encoding Declaration: Including the “charset” attribute at the beginning of the HTML document ensures that the browser interprets the content correctly from the outset, minimizing encoding-related issues.