The <dir> tag was originally used in early versions of HTML to represent a list of directory items, like a list of file names or folders. It functioned similarly to the <ul> (unordered list) element.
However, it has been deprecated and is no longer supported in modern HTML.
❌ Obsolete Status
- The
<dir>tag was deprecated in HTML 4.01. - It was removed in HTML5.
- Modern browsers either treat it like a
<ul>or ignore it. - You should not use
<dir>in new HTML documents.
✅ Recommended Alternative
Use the <ul> (unordered list) instead:
<ul>
<li>Documents</li>
<li>Downloads</li>
<li>Pictures</li>
</ul>
This is the modern and valid way to list items.
🧠 Why It Was Deprecated
<dir>had no real difference from<ul>in behavior.- Its intended purpose (file lists) was too narrow.
- It didn’t add semantic value or accessibility improvements.
✅ Summary
| Tag | <dir> |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Originally for directory lists |
| Status | ❌ Obsolete in HTML5 |
| Replaced by | ✅ <ul> (unordered list) |
| Support | Very limited; not recommended |