Meta tags in HTML are used to provide metadata about the webpage, which is not displayed on the page itself but is crucial for browsers, search engines, and other services. 1. They define character encoding (e.g., <meta charset="UTF-8">) to ensure proper display of special characters. 2. They set a page description for SEO, such as , improving click-through rates from search results. 3. They control the viewport for mobile devices using <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> to enable responsive design. 4. Other uses include declaring author info, setting refresh intervals, specifying Open Graph data, and indicating indexing preferences, all of which help optimize performance and visibility across platforms.
Meta tags in HTML are used to provide metadata about the webpage. This metadata typically isn't displayed on the page itself but is used by browsers, search engines, and other web services to better understand or handle the page.

Here's a breakdown of what they're commonly used for:

Providing Character Encoding
One of the most common uses of the <meta>
tag is to define the character encoding for the document. This helps ensure that the browser displays the characters correctly.
Example:

<meta charset="UTF-8">
Without this, special characters like accents or emojis might not display properly, especially for non-English content.
Setting Page Description for SEO
Another key use is providing a summary of the page’s content. Search engines often use this description in their results pages (SERPs) to give users an idea of what the page is about.
Example:
<meta name="description" content="Learn how meta tags work and why they're important for SEO and user experience.">
This doesn’t directly affect rankings, but a well-written description can improve click-through rates from search results.
Controlling Viewport for Mobile Devices
With the rise of mobile browsing, the viewport meta tag has become essential for responsive design. It tells the browser how to adjust the page’s dimensions and scaling based on the device.
Example:
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
Without this tag, mobile browsers might render the page at a desktop width, making it hard to read without zooming.
Other Common Uses
There are several other purposes for <meta>
tags, including:
- Declaring author information
- Setting refresh intervals
- Specifying Open Graph data for social media sharing
- Indicating whether a page should be indexed
While not all of these are equally important, knowing which ones matter for your site helps you optimize performance and visibility.
Basically, <meta>
tags don’t change how a page looks but can significantly impact how it behaves and is interpreted across different platforms.
So yeah, they’re not flashy, but definitely useful.
The above is the detailed content of What is the purpose of the HTML `` tags in the head?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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