Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What belongs in the <head> element?
The <head> holds metadata and resources — information about the page — which the browser uses but does not show in the document area.
Think of <head> as the "behind the scenes" section. Nothing inside it appears in the main viewport; instead it tells the browser things it needs to know before and while rendering the visible <body>. The common children are:
| Element | Purpose |
|---|---|
<meta> |
Metadata such as character set, viewport settings, or a page description |
<title> |
The page title (shown in the browser tab and bookmarks) |
<style> |
Internal CSS styling rules |
<script> |
JavaScript code or references to scripts |
<link> |
Links to external resources like a stylesheet or favicon |
A typical head ties several of these together:
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>My Page</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
Gotcha to remember: the <title> is required and is what people see on the tab, not on the page itself — a common point of confusion for beginners.
Go deeper:
<head>: the metadata element — MDN — the full list of permitted children and why each belongs in the head.