HTML frame tag

authorImageVarun Saharawat31 Jan, 2026
HTML frame tag

The HTML frame tag is a special tool from the past that split your screen into sections. Imagine your computer screen is a window. Each part could show a different webpage at the same time. While it is not used in modern web design anymore, understanding it helps us learn how websites used to work many years ago.

Why was it used?

  • Split Screens: It let users see two or more pages at once.

  • Static Menus: You could keep a menu on the left that never moved.

  • Loading Speed: Only one small part of the page had to change at a time.

  • Organization: It helped keep different types of info in their own boxes.

Key Things to Know

Feature Description
Not Supported This tag does not work in modern HTML5 anymore.
Frameset It had to be used inside a tag called <frameset>.
Source The src part told the frame which page to show.
Border You could choose to show or hide lines between boxes.

HTML frame tag for beginners

If you are just starting out, you might wonder why we talk about the HTML frame tag. It is because it teaches us about how web pages are built. Even though we don't use it today, it was the "great-grandfather" of how we organize layouts. In modern times, people use "iframes" or "divs" instead.

HTML frame tag explained

When a coder used the HTML frame tag, they weren't just making a page; they were making a "window holder." The main page didn't have any text or pictures of its own. It only had the code to tell the browser how many frames to make and which pages to put inside them.

Why it went away

  • Hard to Print: Printers got confused trying to print many pages at once.
  • Bad for Search: Search engines had a hard time finding the right info.
  • Not Mobile Friendly: These boxes looked very bad on small phone screens.
  • Confusing Links: Sometimes clicking a link in one box would open a page in a tiny corner.

HTML frame tag with examples

Even though we don't use it now, looking at HTML frame tag examples helps you see how it worked. It is like looking at an old map.

Example 1: Splitting the screen in half

This code would split the screen into two tall columns. HTML <frameset cols="50%,50%">   <frame src="left_side.html">   <frame src="right_side.html"> </frameset>

Example 2: A Top Bar and a Bottom Area

This is how people used to make a title bar that stayed at the top while you scrolled.
  • Top Frame: Showed the logo and title.
  • Bottom Frame: Showed the main story.
  • Result: The title stayed still while the story moved.

Example 3: No Borders

You could make the frames look like one single page by hiding the lines.
  • Attribute: frameborder="0".
  • Look: It made the website look smoother, even if it was still made of separate pieces.

HTML frame tag step by step

Let's look at the old HTML frame tag tutorial steps to see how a person would have built a site in the 1990s.

Step 1: Create the "Parent" Page

You would start a page without a <body> tag. Instead, you used <frameset>. This is a vital part of using the old frame style.

Step 2: Choose Rows or Columns

You had to decide if you wanted horizontal rows or vertical columns. You would write something like rows="20%, 80%" to make a small top part and a big bottom part.

Step 3: Add the HTML frame tag

Inside the frameset, you put a HTML frame tag for every section you created. If you made three rows, you needed three frame tags.

Step 4: Link the Pages

For every HTML frame tag, you added a src. This told the computer, "Put the 'Contact Us' page in this specific box." This is a key step in the HTML frame tag guide.

Step 5: Add a "No Frames" message

Since some computers couldn't show frames, you had to write a message using <noframes>. It would say, "Sorry, your computer is too old to see this site!"

HTML frame tag use cases

In the past, there were many HTML frame tag use cases. People thought it was the best way to keep a website organized.

How people used it

  • Side Menus: Keeping a list of links on the left that stayed there forever.
  • Advertisements: Putting an ad in a small box that didn't go away when you changed pages.
  • Photo Galleries: Clicking a small picture in one frame to show a big version in another frame.
  • Help Documents: Having a table of contents on one side and the help text on the other.

HTML frame tag best practices (from the past)

  1. Give Names: Always give your frames a "name" so you could tell links where to open.
  2. Scrolling: Decide if you wanted a scrollbar on the side or if the box should stay still.
  3. No Resizing: Sometimes coders used noresize so users couldn't move the bars around.
  4. Simplicity: Don't make too many boxes or the screen becomes a tiny, messy puzzle.

FAQs

Is the HTML frame tag still used today?

No, it is "deprecated," which means it is retired. Modern websites don't use it anymore.

What should I use instead of frames?

You should use the <iframe> tag or use CSS with <div> tags to make your layout.

Does HTML5 support the frame tag?

No, HTML5 does not support the HTML frame tag or the <frameset> tag.

Can I still see old websites that use frames?

Yes, some very old websites on the internet still have them, and some old browsers might still show them.
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