HTML <option> tag represents options within a dropdown list.
The option tag is generally used to define one or more options within dropdown. HTML option tag is used along with <select> tag or <datalist> tag to define a dropdown list within web page. Also see HTML <optgroup> tag to define group of options within dropdown control.
HTML option Tag Sample Code
<html>
<head>
<title>HTML/HTML5 option Tag with Example</title>
</head>
<body>
<select>
<option value="MH">Maharastra</option>
<option value="Please select" selected="selected">Please select</option>
<option value="GJ">Gujarat</option>
<option value="MP">Madhya Pradesh</option>
</select>
</body>
</html>
HTML option Tag Sample Result
Tag Specific Attributes Support
Following are option tag attributes that are supported by <option> tag.
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| disabled | disabled | Represents whether dropdown is disabled or not on page load |
| selected | selected | Represents the initial selected value among list of all options of the dropdown on page load |
| value | value_name | Represents the value name of the selected list that is generally used to save on the server |
Standard Attributes Support
HTML <option> tag supports mostly all HTML Attributes. Following are some most common attributes that are used by <option> tag. You can get more details about available HTML Attributes here.
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| class | user_defined | Represents a style for an element which is used in CSS style sheet |
| id | user_defined | Represents unique id for an element |
| style | css_properties | Represents an inline style for an element for e.g style=”color:red;text-decoration:underline;” |
| title | user_defined | Represents a tooltip information for an elements like img, a, abbr etc |
Event Attributes Support
The “script” is invoked when a certain “event” occurs. Each event handler content attribute deals with a different event. HTML <option> tag supports mostly all HTML Event Attributes. Following are some most common event attributes that are used by <option> tag. You can get more details about available HTML Event Attributes here.
| Attribute | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| onclick | script | Event Fires immediately when mouse click on the specified element |
| ondblclick | script | Event Fires immediately when mouse double-click on the specified element |
| onkeydown | script | Event Fires immediately when user is pressing a down key from keyboard |
| onkeypress | script | Event Fires immediately when user presses a key from keyboard |
| onkeyup | script | Event Fires immediately when user releases a key from keyboard |
| onmousedown | script | Event Fires immediately when mouse pointer gets down from an element |
| onmousemove | script | Event Fires immediately when mouse pointer moves over an element |
| onmouseout | script | Event Fires immediately when mouse pointer gets out from an element |
| onmouseover | script | Event Fires immediately when mouse pointer moves over an element |
| onmouseup | script | Event Fires immediately when a mouse pointer is released over an element |
