Deprecated

In web design, deprecated elements usually refer to HTML tags that are no longer recommended for use as they have been replaced by more efficient alternatives. This can be for code, hardware, models, methods, or practices. 

 Elements like HTML tags become outdated, obsolete, or deprecated because of the changes that take place in accessibility, semantic structure, and web standards. The separation of HTML and CSS or Cascading Style Sheets has been the most significant factor that causes deprecation. Many HTML tags are no longer recommended for use now as they are likely to become outdated in the upcoming versions of HTML even though they function properly.

 

HTML defines a page’s content while CSS takes care of the presentation. Separating the two facilitates caching, readability, responsiveness, device independence, avoids duplication, eases management, and offers more options to users.

 

It is not that deprecated elements don’t work or are forbidden, but it is not recommended. It’s important for web developers to be up-to-date with deprecation, employ best practices, and avoid legacy elements. This will ensure that your website functions smoothly now, as well as in the future.

Some tags that are deprecated are:

  • <acronym>
  • <applet>
  • <center>
  • <basefront>
  • <isindex>
  • <big>
  • <font>
  • <frame>
  • <dir>
  • <strike>
  • <s>
  • <tt>
  • <noframes>
  • <frameset>