Welcome to the museum of HTML. In the early days (HTML 4.01), before modern layouts, developers used framesets to divide pages. Enter the <frame> tag.

The <frame> tag was used inside a <frameset> to create separate sections in a browser window. Each <frame> displayed a different HTML document. It required a src attribute pointing to the document URL.

<frameset cols="50%,50%">
  <frame src="left.html">
  <frame src="right.html">
</frameset>

Unlike modern iframes, <frame> tags were part of a frameset structure that replaced the entire <body>. This made navigation and bookmarking problematic, and accessibility was poor.

<frameset rows="20%,80%">
  <frame src="header.html">
  <frame src="content.html">
</frameset>

However, if you try this in a modern browser like Chrome or Firefox today, framesets are deprecated. Browsers may drop support at any time. Why? Because <iframe> replaced it.

<frameset cols="50%,50%">
  <frame src="left.html">
  <frame src="right.html">
</frameset>

Checkpoint: The <frame> tag is considered...

<frame src="page.html">

So, how do we embed content today? We use <iframe>. Unlike frames, iframes are embedded within a normal HTML document and don't replace the body. They're more flexible and accessible.

<iframe src="https://example.com" width="600" height="400"></iframe>

Iframes work within normal HTML documents, support modern features like sandboxing, and don't break navigation or bookmarking. This is the standard way to embed external content.

<iframe src="https://example.com" width="600" height="400"></iframe>

Knowing about <frame> is important for maintaining very old legacy systems (from the 90s-2000s), but for new projects, always stick to <iframe>.


<frame>


<iframe>

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Guide:Welcome to the museum of HTML. In the early days (HTML 4.01), before modern layouts, developers used framesets to divide pages. Enter the <frame> tag.

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Concept 1: Deprecation

Technologies evolve. HTML tags that are replaced by better solutions (like iframe) are marked as deprecated.

System Check

What happens if you use a deprecated tag in a modern browser?

The computer crashes.It may be ignored or render incorrectly.It works perfectly forever.It is automatically converted to iframe.

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The Deprecated <frame> Tag

Pascual Vila

Frontend Instructor & Web Historian.

In the late 90s and early 2000s, web developers used framesets to divide browser windows into multiple sections. The <frame> tag was part of this system, allowing each section to display a different HTML document.

What did it do?

The <frame> tag was used inside a <frameset> container to create separate sections in a browser window. Each frame displayed a different HTML document via the src attribute. Unlike modern iframes, framesets replaced the entire <body> of the page, making navigation and bookmarking problematic.

Why is it gone?

Frames had several major problems: they broke browser navigation (back/forward buttons), made bookmarking difficult, caused accessibility issues, and didn't work well on mobile devices. The <iframe> tag was introduced as a better alternative that embeds content within a normal HTML document. Consequently, <frame> and <frameset> were deprecated in HTML5.

The Modern Alternative

Today, you should use <iframe> for embedding content:
<iframe src="https://example.com" width="600" height="400"></iframe>
Iframes work within normal HTML documents, support modern features like sandboxing, and don't break navigation or bookmarking.

Historical Glossary

Frame: An obsolete HTML tag used inside <frameset> to display separate HTML documents in different sections of a browser window. Not supported in HTML5.
Frameset: A deprecated container element that replaced the <body> and divided the browser window into multiple frames. Each frame displayed a different HTML document.
Iframe: The modern replacement for frames. An inline frame that embeds another HTML document within the current page, without replacing the body.
Deprecated: A status applied to features that are discouraged from use and may be removed in future versions.

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