HTML basics · Lesson 7 of 12 · 7 minutes

HTML basics: Description lists

A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.

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Your objectives

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1
Build description lists
Build this first target: <dl>. Inspect the structure before checking the lesson.
Hint & worked example
A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.
The requested elements, attributes, content, and hierarchy exist outside comments.
```
<dl></dl>
```
Common mistake to avoid: A visual appearance alone guarantees the intended HTML meaning.
2
Extend the description lists example
Extend your file to include: <dl>; <dt> inside <dl> containing “Latency”; <dd> inside <dl> containing “Time spent waiting for one response.”. Inspect the structure before checking the lesson.
Hint & worked example
A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.
The requested elements, attributes, content, and hierarchy exist outside comments.
```
<dl><dt>Latency</dt><dd>Time spent waiting for one response.</dd></dl>
```
Common mistake to avoid: Replacing semantic elements with generic divs automatically improves accessibility.
3
Verify the complete description lists pattern
Finish the pattern with: <dl>; <dt> inside <dl> containing “Latency”; <dd> inside <dl> containing “Time spent waiting for one response.”; <dt> inside <dl> containing “Throughput”; <dd> inside <dl> containing “Completed work per unit of time.”. Inspect the structure before checking the lesson.
Hint & worked example
A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.
The requested elements, attributes, content, and hierarchy exist outside comments.
```
<dl><dt>Latency</dt><dd>Time spent waiting for one response.</dd><dt>Throughput</dt><dd>Completed work per unit of time.</dd></dl>
```
Common mistake to avoid: A visual appearance alone guarantees the intended HTML meaning.

Understand the pattern

A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.

Misconceptions to reject

A visual appearance alone guarantees the intended HTML meaning.
Replacing semantic elements with generic divs automatically improves accessibility.

The preview is a sanitized subset, not a full browser compatibility test.

Worked example and expected result

<dl><dt>Latency</dt><dd>Time spent waiting for one response.</dd><dt>Throughput</dt><dd>Completed work per unit of time.</dd></dl>

A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.

Try a variation

Adapt the final example to a different project name while retaining its structure and relationships. A different context still needs a real browser and accessibility check.

Explain it

Which statement correctly explains description lists?Replacing semantic elements with generic divs automatically improves accessibility.A description list connects terms in dt to explanations in dd.A visual appearance alone guarantees the intended HTML meaning.

Apply it elsewhere

You reuse description lists in a different project. What must still be verified?The meaning, relationships, and accessible names in the new document.Nothing; passing a single exercise guarantees every future use.Only whether the source code has the same number of lines.

Keep the momentum.

Complete the lab, then explain and apply the pattern.

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