HTML Inline Quotation Element ('Q' Tag)

The 'Q' tag is used for quoting text inline. (The blockquote tag would be used for a block of quoted text.)

Where the HTML q tag is used, the quote is automatically enclosed within quotation marks.

Optionally, the q tag may have a cite attribute. If used, the value of cite would be an indication of the source for the quote. (The cite attribute does not affect how the quote is published, how it appears or its style; it is merely information for spiders or for humans who view the source code.)

Here is an example sentence with a q tag.

The Willmaster website asserts, Software, your way.

Here is the code.

<p style="margin-left:1em;">
The Willmaster website asserts, 
<q cite="https://www.willmaster.com">Software, your way.</q>
</p>

When the cite attribute is unneeded, a person may ask themself why not just use quotation marks and be done with it? Because that isn't all there is to it.

The q tag can be styled. A change on a CSS style sheet can affect every q quote, sitewide.

Perhaps, as illustration, the site maintainer decides the quotes really should have a light gray background. The style sheet is changed. The effect occurs on all pages that use the CSS in the entire domain.

Here is an example of how it might look.

The Willmaster website asserts, Software, your way.

<style type="text/css">
q { background-color:#efefef; }
</style>
<p style="margin-left:1em;">
The Willmaster website asserts, 
<q cite="https://www.willmaster.com">Software, your way.</q>
</p>

The 'Q' tag can be quite handy with it's inherent ability to be styled.

(This content first appeared in Possibilities newsletter.)

Will Bontrager