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HTML’s best kept secret: the <output> tag

I prefer using built-in, semantic HTML whenever possible. Here’s Den Odell with a tag I didn’t realise existed:

Every developer knows <input>. It’s the workhorse of the web.

But <output>? Most have never touched it. Some don’t even know it exists.

That’s a shame, because it solves something we’ve been cobbling together with <div>s and ARIA for years: dynamic results that are announced to screen readers by default.

It’s been in the spec for years. Yet it’s hiding in plain sight.

[…]

Usage is straightforward:

<output>Your dynamic value goes here</output>

Check out Den’s post for nuance and real-world examples. There is also a Hacker News discussion.

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