The
<thead>tag in HTML defines the header section of a table.
It groups all header rows (<tr>) that typically contain column headings defined by<th>tags.
This element improves readability, accessibility, and enables consistent styling or scripting across header rows.
Syntax
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Heading 1</th>
<th>Heading 2</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Data 1</td>
<td>Data 2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>Attributes
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| (None) | The <thead> tag does not have any specific attributes. You can use global attributes like class, id, or style. |
Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Thead Tag Example</title>
<style>
table {
border-collapse: collapse;
width: 70%;
margin: 20px auto;
text-align: center;
}
thead {
background-color: #29AB87;
color: white;
}
th, td {
border: 1px solid #555;
padding: 10px;
}
tbody tr:nth-child(even) {
background-color: #f9f9f9;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h2>HTML Table with Thead Example</h2>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Planet</th>
<th>Distance from Sun</th>
<th>Moons</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Mercury</td>
<td>57.9 million km</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Earth</td>
<td>149.6 million km</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jupiter</td>
<td>778.5 million km</td>
<td>79</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</body>
</html>Output
Browser Output
Displays a table with a green header row defined inside <thead>.
Please use our TryIt editor to view and modify the example live.
Browser Support
 Chrome |  Firefox |  Edge |  Safari |  Opera |  IE9+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
All modern browsers fully support the <thead> element.
Notes
- The
<thead>element should appear before<tbody>and<tfoot>within a table. - It improves data organization and helps browsers render large tables efficiently.
- Useful for styling headers and keeping them fixed while scrolling with CSS or JavaScript.
- Tables without
<thead>are still valid but less structured.
Conclusion
The <thead> tag defines a clear and accessible table header section, separating structure from content.
It’s especially helpful for data tables, reports, and dashboards where clarity and readability are essential.
