HTML Frames
Frames were used in old websites to split the browser window into several parts, where each part loaded a different HTML page. They were created with the <frameset> and <frame> tags.
Note:
<frameset>, <frame> and <noframes> are obsolete and removed from HTML5. Browsers may not show them at all. Do not use them in new pages. This chapter is only for understanding old code.
How old frames looked
<!-- Old HTML 4 code. Do not use. -->
<frameset cols="25%, 75%">
<frame src="menu.html">
<frame src="content.html">
</frameset>This code split the window into two columns: a menu page on the left (25 percent) and a content page on the right (75 percent). In frames you do not write a <body> tag.
Why frames were removed
- Search engines could not index the page properly.
- You could not bookmark a particular state of the site.
- The back button and printing did not work well.
- They were bad for accessibility and for mobile screens.
What to use today
| Old use of frames | Modern solution |
|---|---|
| Menu on one side, content on the other | CSS layout with Flexbox or Grid, see semantic elements |
| Same header and footer on every page | Include files with a server language (PHP) or a template system |
| Show another page inside a page | iframe |
Summary
- Frames (
frameset,frame) are obsolete. - Use CSS for page layout, and
iframeto embed other pages.
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