What is the difference between , , and ?

Overview HTML provides three primary list elements — , , and — each used for structuring information in a specific way. Lists help organize related items, improve readability, and provide semantic meaning for assistive technologies and search engines. 1) (Ordered List) Used when sequence matters, like steps or rankings. Each item is wrapped in an tag. Boil water Add pasta Cook for 10 minutes You can customize numbering using attributes: Step A Step B Supported type values include 1 (numbers), A/a (letters), and I/i (Roman numerals). 2) (Unordered List) Used…

What is the difference between <ol>, <ul>, and <dl>?

LowEasyHtml

By FrontendAtlas Team · Updated Jan 30, 2026

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Quick Answer

The <ol>, <ul>, and <dl> tags are all list-related elements in HTML, but they serve different purposes. <ol> defines an ordered (numbered) list, <ul> defines an unordered (bulleted) list, and <dl> defines a description (definition) list used for terms and their definitions.

Answer

Overview

HTML provides three primary list elements — <ol>, <ul>, and <dl> — each used for structuring information in a specific way. Lists help organize related items, improve readability, and provide semantic meaning for assistive technologies and search engines.

Tag	Full Form / Meaning	Purpose	Example Output
`<ol>`	Ordered List	Displays items in a specific sequence (numbered or lettered).	Step one 2. Step two 3. Step three
`<ul>`	Unordered List	Displays items with bullets; order doesn’t matter.	• Item A • Item B • Item C
<dl>	Description List	Pairs terms with their definitions (dictionary/FAQ style).	Term → Definition

Differences between the three list elements.

1) <ol> (Ordered List)
<br>Used when sequence matters, like steps or rankings. Each item is wrapped in an <li> tag.

<pre>


  Boil water

  Add pasta

  Cook for 10 minutes

</pre>
You can customize numbering using attributes:
<pre>

<ol type="A" start="3">
  Step A

  Step B

</pre>
Supported type values include 1 (numbers), A/a (letters), and I/i (Roman numerals).

2) <ul> (Unordered List)
<br>Used when order doesn’t matter. Each item is wrapped in an <li> tag.

<pre>


  HTML

  CSS

  JavaScript

</pre>
You can style bullet types using CSS:
<pre>ul { list-style-type: square; } /* disc | circle | square | none */</pre>

3) <dl> (Description List)
<br>Used for name–value pairs such as glossary terms or FAQs. Combine with <dt> (term) and <dd> (definition):

<pre><dl> <dt>HTML</dt> <dd>The standard markup language for web pages.</dd> <dt>CSS</dt> <dd>A stylesheet language for presentation.</dd> </dl></pre>

Accessibility & Semantics

- <ol> communicates order and hierarchy.
- <ul> conveys grouping without sequence.
- <dl> conveys term–definition relationships.

Using proper list types helps screen readers and search engines interpret your content correctly.

Common Mistakes

- Forgetting <li> tags inside <ul> or <ol>.
- Putting <li> directly inside <dl> (use <dt> and <dd> instead).
- Using <ul> when order actually matters (should be <ol>).

Tag	Meaning	Best Use Case
`<ol>`	Ordered List	Numbered steps, ranked items, instructions
`<ul>`	Unordered List	Bulleted lists, navigation menus, unordered items
<dl>	Description List	Terms & definitions, FAQs, metadata key–value pairs

Summary — choose based on whether order, grouping, or term–definition relationships matter.

Still so complicated?

Think of it like this:
- <ol> → a numbered to-do list (order matters).
- <ul> → a grocery list (order doesn’t matter).
- <dl> → a dictionary entry (term with definition).