References

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The HTML cite attribute

Attribute All modern browsers Updated
Quick answer

The HTML cite attribute gives the URL of the source document for a quotation or edit. It is used on the <blockquote>, <q>, <ins> and <del> elements.

Overview

The cite attribute cites the source URL of a quote or edit. It is used on quotation and edit elements like <blockquote>, <q>, <del>, <ins> and <time>.

It records editorial metadata — the source of a quotation, the reason for an edit, or a machine-readable date. The values are read by tools and assistive technology rather than shown directly.

Syntax

<blockquote cite="https://example.com/source"> … </blockquote>

Values

Value
A URL.

Best practices

  • Use datetime in valid ISO-8601 format for reliable machine reading.
  • Put a quotation's or edit's source URL in the cite attribute (it is not displayed).
  • For a visible citation, use the <cite> element rather than the attribute.
  • Pair <del> and <ins> to show edits clearly.

Frequently asked questions

What does the cite attribute do?
Cites the source URL of a quote or edit.
Is the cite attribute displayed on the page?
No. The cite attribute is machine-readable metadata. For a visible citation, use the <cite> element.
What format does the datetime attribute use?
ISO-8601 — for example 2026-06-22 for a date or 14:30 for a time.
Which elements use the cite attribute?
It is an element-specific attribute, used on quotation and edit elements like <blockquote>, <q>, <del>, <ins> and <time>.
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