The HTML <tbody> tag
Quick answer
The HTML <tbody> element groups the body rows (the data) of a <table>. A table can have several <tbody> sections to group related rows.
Overview
The <tbody> element contains the data rows of a table, keeping them distinct from the <thead> and <tfoot> sections. If you do not write one, the browser adds it implicitly — so it is always there in the rendered table.
A table may contain multiple <tbody> elements, which is a handy way to group rows into logical sections — quarters in a financial table, categories in a price list — each of which you can style or script independently.
Syntax
<tbody>
<tr><td>Mug</td><td>£12</td></tr>
</tbody>Example
<table border="1">
<thead><tr><th>Item</th></tr></thead>
<tbody><tr><td>One</td></tr><tr><td>Two</td></tr></tbody>
</table>Best practices
- Wrap the data rows in
<tbody>to separate them from the header and footer. - Use multiple
<tbody>elements to group rows into logical sections. - Target a specific
<tbody>with CSS or JavaScript to style or update a section. - Remember the browser inserts an implicit
<tbody>even if you omit it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tbody element?
Can a table have multiple tbody elements?
Yes. Multiple
<tbody> sections let you group rows logically and style or script each independently.Is tbody required?
Not in your markup — the browser adds an implicit one — but writing it makes the structure explicit.
What is the difference between tbody and thead?
<thead> holds the header rows;
<tbody> holds the data rows.