Frame HTML - What Is A Frame In HTML?

Frames HTML are used to divide a web page into multiple sections, each displaying a different HTML document, This article will help us to understand frame HTML in detail, getting insights into all its types, layouts, elements and much more.

Varun Saharawat30 Oct, 2025

What Is Frame HTML?

In HTML, frames are used to divide a web page into multiple sections, each displaying a different HTML document. These sections are called frames, and they allow you to show different web pages simultaneously within a single browser window. Let us understand this more clearly with a basic example, Imagine you're building a website for a bookstore. You can use frames to create a layout given below: Top Frame: This section will display the bookstore logo and navigation menu. Left Frame: This section will show categories like "Fiction," "Non-Fiction," and "Children's Books." Main Frame: Displaying details about a selected book when a category or book is clicked in the left frame. Bottom Frame: This frame will show contact information and social media links. Each frame would contain its HTML content, and together they would form an interactive webpage where users can navigate through different sections seamlessly.

Layout Of Frames HTML

A frameset HTML document, which defines layout of frames on a webpage, is structured differently than a regular HTML document. A regular HTML document includes a HEAD section and a BODY section. However, a frameset document includes a HEAD section and a FRAMESET section instead of the BODY section. The FRAMESET section indicates the layout or we can say it indicates how different frames are organized and displayed in the main browser window. It can also include a NOFRAMES element, which provides alternative content for browsers that don't support frames or are set not to display them.

Implementations Of Frame HTML

Implementing frames in web development lets you split a webpage into multiple sections. Framesets divide the page into rows and columns, while iframes embed external content. You can customize these frames with attributes like columns, rows, width, and height for a more dynamic user experience. Here’s a closer look at how to use them practically:

1. Creating a Frameset

To create a frameset, use the ‘<frameset>’ tag, and Inside this tag, you can specify rows and columns as required.

For example: <frameset rows="50%,50%">

Using the above code creates a frameset with two rows of equal height. You can also use the ‘<frame>’ tag to define individual frames and can set the size of each frame with attributes like ‘cols’ and ‘rows’, using percentages or pixel values.

2. Using iframes

Iframes allow you to embed external content within a webpage.

The syntax for an iframe is: <iframe src="external.html"></iframe>

By using the ‘src’ attribute, you can load another HTML document or web resource inside the iframe. You can customize iframes with attributes like ‘width’ and ‘height’ to set their size. Additional attributes include ‘frameborder’ to show or hide the border, and ‘scrolling’ to enable or disable scrolling within the iframe.

Attributes Of <Frameset> Tag

The ‘<frameset>’ tag in HTML is used to divide a webpage into multiple frames, allowing multiple documents to be displayed within a single window. Here are the five key attributes of the ‘<frameset>’ tag, explaining each one in detail for your better understanding:

1. rows

The ‘rows’ attribute in the ‘<frameset>’ tag specifies how many horizontal frames you want and how much space each should take up. For example, if you want three horizontal frames with different heights, you can set ‘rows="25%,50%,25%"’. This will create three rows where the first and third rows each take up 25% of the window, and the middle row takes up 50%. You can define the size of row using two basic methods shown below- Percentages (‘%’): Allocates a percentage of the browser window's height to each row. Pixels (‘px’): Assigns a fixed height in pixels to each row.

Example: <frameset rows="25%,50%,25%"> This divides the window into three horizontal frames with heights of 25%, 50%, and 25% respectively.

2. cols

The cols attribute specifies the number and size of columns within the ‘<frameset>’. You can define the size of each column using:

Percentages (‘%’): Allocates a percentage of the browser window's width to each column.
Pixels (‘px’): Assigns a fixed width in pixels to each column.

Example- <frameset cols="200px,500px,300px"> This divides the window into three vertical columns with widths of 200 pixels, 500 pixels, and 300 pixels respectively.

3. border

The border attribute of the <frameset> tag sets the thickness of the border around each frame, in pixels. The default border width is 2 pixels. This border helps in visually separating the frames. For example, if you have a frameset with columns defined as cols="25%,50%,25%" and you set border="6", there will be a 6-pixel border between each frame. Whereas, If you set border="0", there will be no border between the frames.

Example: <frameset rows="50%,50%" border="5"> This sets a 5-pixel border between the two frames.

4. Frameborder

The ‘frameborder’ attribute controls the presence of a border around each frame. The value can be 1 or 0 where 1 signifies the presence of a border and 0 signifies no border.

Example: <frameset rows="50%,50%" frameborder="0"> This removes the border around each frame.

5. Framespacing

The ‘framespacing’ attribute specifies the amount of space between frames in pixels. It can be used to control the spacing between frames.

Example: <frameset rows="50%,50%" framespacing="10"> This sets a 10-pixel space between the frames.

Advantages Of Frame HTML

Frames in HTML offer several benefits, making web development more flexible and user-friendly. Here are some key advantages of Frame HTML which will help you to understand it clearly:

1. Achieving Layout Flexibility

Frame HTML lets developers split a webpage into different sections, making it easy to create complex layouts. This flexibility is great for designing websites with consistent navigation menus, sidebars, and independent content areas. Using framesets helps maintain a uniform layout across multiple pages.

2. Creating Navigation Menus and Sidebars

Frame HTML is often used to create fixed navigation menus or sidebars that stay visible while the rest of the page content changes. This approach ensures easy navigation and provides a convenient way for users to access important information or features throughout the site.

3. Displaying Content from Multiple Sources

Iframes allow developers to include external content, like videos, maps, or social media feeds, directly into a webpage. This makes it easy to include dynamic content from various sources without affecting the overall design or performance of the site.

4. Enhancing User Experience

Frames can improve the user experience by allowing interactive content to load separately within a specific part of the webpage. For instance, iframes can be used to add a chat widget or a real-time data display, ensuring these elements update smoothly without refreshing the entire page.

Disadvantages Of Frame HTML

Apart from the various advantages and benefits of using Frame in HTML, there are also a few disadvantages of using Frame which includes-

1. SEO Challenges

Search engines may have trouble indexing websites that use frames. This can result in lower search engine rankings because the content within frames might not be properly indexed, making the site less visible to potential visitors.

2. Inconsistent Behavior Across Browsers

Frames can behave differently in various web browsers, leading to inconsistent user experiences. Some browsers may not support frames at all, while others may display them in unexpected ways, causing layout issues.

3. Complicated Bookmarks

When a website uses frames, bookmarking a specific page or section can be tricky. Users may end up bookmarking the frameset page instead of the content they want, which can be frustrating when they try to return to that specific content later.

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Frame HTML FAQs

What is the purpose of using frames in HTML?

Frames in HTML are used to divide a webpage into multiple sections, each capable of displaying a different document. This feature allows for the creation of complex layouts with independent content areas, such as navigation menus, sidebars, and main content sections.

What is the difference between and ?

is used to divide the entire browser window into multiple frames, replacing the tag in a frameset document. Whereas , on the other hand, is used to include an external document within a single frame inside an HTML document without replacing the tag.

Are frames still recommended for modern web design?

Frames are generally not recommended for modern web design due to their accessibility issues, navigation problems, and poor SEO performance. More modern techniques like CSS Flexbox, Grid Layout, and JavaScript frameworks offer better solutions for creating complex layouts.