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HTML Tags Support

A quick-reference chart showing which HTML elements are supported in Scryber templates, how they compare to standard HTML, and any PDF-specific differences.

Support levels used in this chart:

Label Meaning
Supported Works as in standard HTML
Partial Supported with PDF-specific differences — see Notes
Scryber Scryber-specific extension not present in standard HTML
No Not currently supported

On this page

Document Structure

Element Tag Support Notes
HTML Root <html> Supported Use xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml' for strict parsing
Head <head> Supported Holds metadata, linked styles, and title
Body <body> Supported Main content container
Title <title> Supported Sets the PDF document title
Base Path <base> Supported Sets root path for relative resource URLs
Meta <meta> Supported Document info, security settings
Link <link> Supported External stylesheet references
Style <style> Supported Inline CSS; higher priority than linked sheets
Frameset <frameset> Supported Replaces <body>; used for merging/trimming existing PDFs
Frame <frame> Supported References pages from an existing PDF document

Content Sectioning

Element Tag Support Notes
Section <section> Partial Each <section> starts on a new page by default
Header <header> Supported Repeats on first page (and all pages unless continuation header defined)
Footer <footer> Supported Repeats on first page (and all pages unless continuation footer defined)
Continuation Header <continuation-header> Scryber Header shown on every page except the first
Continuation Footer <continuation-footer> Scryber Footer shown on every page except the first
Article <article> Supported Treated as a block container
Aside <aside> Supported Treated as a block container
Nav <nav> Supported Treated as a block container
Main <main> Supported Treated as a block container

Block Content

Element Tag Support Notes
Div <div> Supported Standard block container
Paragraph <p> Supported  
Headings <h1> – <h6> Supported  
Horizontal Rule <hr> Supported  
Block Quote <blockquote> Supported  
Pre-formatted <pre> Supported Whitespace and line breaks preserved
Address <address> Supported  
Figure <figure> Supported  
Figure Caption <figcaption> Supported  
Details <details> Partial PDF always renders as expanded (open state)
Summary <summary> Partial Rendered as a heading; toggle behaviour not applicable in PDF
Fieldset <fieldset> Supported  
Legend <legend> Supported  

Inline & Text Elements

Element Tag Support Notes
Span <span> Supported Inline container
Anchor <a> Supported Internal document links and external URLs
Line Break <br> Supported  
Bold <b> Supported  
Italic <i> Supported  
Strong <strong> Supported  
Emphasised <em> Supported  
Underline <u> Supported  
Strikethrough <s> / <strike> Supported  
Deleted <del> Supported  
Inserted <ins> Supported  
Mark <mark> Supported Highlighted text
Subscript <sub> Supported  
Superscript <sup> Supported  
Small <small> Supported Renders at 70% font size
Big <big> Supported Renders at 120% font size
Code <code> Supported Monospace font
Keyboard <kbd> Supported  
Sample <samp> Supported  
Abbreviation <abbr> Supported  
Citation <cite> Supported  
Definition <dfn> Supported  
Quoted Span <q> Supported  
Label <label> Supported  
Output <output> Supported Displays a calculated value
Variable <var> Supported Store, calculate, and display values during processing
Font (legacy) <font> Supported Legacy attribute-based styling
Time <time> Supported Outputs a date/time value in a specific format

Lists

Element Tag Support Notes
Unordered List <ul> Supported  
Ordered List <ol> Supported  
List Item <li> Supported Supports -pdf-li-* properties for custom markers
Menu List <menu> Supported  
Definition List <dl> Supported  
Definition Term <dt> Supported  
Definition Item <dd> Supported  

Tables

Element Tag Support Notes
Table <table> Supported  
Table Header Group <thead> Supported Repeats across columns and pages by default
Table Body <tbody> Supported  
Table Footer Group <tfoot> Supported  
Table Row <tr> Supported  
Table Cell <td> Supported rowspan across multiple rows with overflow supported from v9.3
Table Header Cell <th> Supported  

Media & Graphics

Element Tag Support Notes
Image <img> Supported JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, SVG; srcset supported
Picture <picture> Supported  
Source <source> Supported Media-query-based image source selection
Figure <figure> Supported  
Meter <meter> Supported Renders a scalar value within a range
Progress <progress> Supported Renders a progress bar
SVG Drawing <svg> Supported Inline, embedded, or referenced; see SVG chart
iFrame <iframe> Supported Includes external template content without inheriting outer styles
Embed <embed> Supported Includes external or dynamic content using the outer document style
Object <object> Supported Attaches external content; linkable via anchor

Dynamic Content

Element Tag Support Notes
Template <template> Supported Repeats inner content based on bound data
If <if> Scryber Conditionally renders content when data-test is true
Page Number <page> Scryber Outputs current or referenced page number
Number <num> Scryber Outputs a numeric value in a specific display format
Slot <slot> Scryber Content placeholder

Not Supported

Standard HTML elements that are not currently supported. Any unknown element is silently skipped (or raises an error in strict conformance mode).

Element Tag Notes
Form <form> No interactive form support in PDF output
Input <input> —
Select <select> —
Button <button> —
Textarea <textarea> —
Canvas <canvas> PDF has no raster drawing surface
Video <video> PDF is a static format
Audio <audio> PDF is a static format
Dialog <dialog> —
Map / Area <map> / <area> —

See Also