You may have encountered text on a webpage that flickers or flashes in an attempt to grab your attention. Back in the early days of the web, the <blink> tag was created specifically for that purpose. Without any fancy work, you may make any piece of text blink. For example, writing something like “SALE ENDS TODAY!” and making it blink would help draw attention. That was the idea behind <blink>, a quick shortcut to flashing warnings. However, it is no longer supported by most modern browsers and is considered outdated and non-compliant with modern web design standards. Still, it’s worth learning about to understand the evolution of HTML. This tag, therefore, is not exactly employed in any current development, but being able to know it will give you an idea of the humorous history of the web.
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Syntax of the <blink> Tag
Using the <blink> tag is like placing your words inside a flashing container. The concept is extremely straightforward.
<pre><blink>Your blinking text here</blink></pre>
Anything placed between <blink> and </blink> will try to blink if the browser supports it.
Trivia time: it actually is only supported by old versions of Firefox (due to legacies) and not in the latest browsers (such as Chrome or Edge). If you try it today, it will likely render as regular text.
Attributes of the <blink> Tag
What is weird about the blink HTML tag is that the tag has no attributes of its own. Unlike other tags such as <img> that support the use of src or even <a> that supports the use of href needs nothing. It can be styled with the help of CSS (and we will discuss that in a bit), but you do not put any custom behaviors and built-in attributes directly on the tag.
How to Use the <blink> Tag in HTML?
It is as simple as writing a sentence between two blinking wrappers using the <blink> tag.
And this is how you would set it down in an HTML file:
With a browser that still supports it (which is rare), the phrase “This text blinks!” would appear like a blinking neon sign. But to be practical, this won’t work in most modern browsers. It is not used by most developers, and we will understand why momentarily.
Practical Example of <blink> Tag
Let’s imagine a kid who wants to make their birthday message pop. They could write:
Explanation: The <blink> tag wraps around the <h1> element, making only the enclosed heading attempt to blink (on supported browsers).
Once more, the tag will simply be ignored by most modern browsers, but it is very useful to demonstrate how HTML worked in the days when styles were more feeble.
Styling the <blink> Tag with CSS
Although the <blink> tag is no longer supported, you can mimic its effect using CSS animations.
And this is a neat trick to simulate the behavior of blinking using CSS animations:
Output:
Explanation: Here, we are using a class referred to as blink in the heading. The @keyframe rule tells it how and when to vanish and appear. The technique works in every contemporary browser without depending on the <blink> tag.
That is how blinking is done by the developers who do not utilize HTML tags that is deprecated.
Accessibility Concerns with Blinking Text
The responsible part: Blinking text may be quite difficult to cope with for some individuals.
The reason it is risky:
- Individuals with epilepsy are susceptible to having seizures caused by flashing content.
- Blinking words may be cumbersome and challenging for users with problems in reading.
- Blinking text may not be recognized by screen readers used by visually impaired users.
That is the reason web designers of good modern sites put a lot of thought into the use of animation or blinking. There are alternatives to getting attention, such as the use of color, bold text, or clear headings, in case that is what you are aiming at. Being flashy should not come at the cost of usability.
Browser Support for the <blink> Tag
You might wonder: “Will my browser even show blinking text if I use this tag?” The answer is almost always no.
You may ask: “Will my browser even display blinking texts, should I apply such a tag?” The response is nearly never.
The blink HTML Google trick still exists as a fun Easter egg, but that’s purely nostalgic.
Therefore, today, when you code and attempt to employ <blink>, nobody in the majority will ever notice the impact. Rather, it is safe and visible to use CSS animations.
Why the <blink> Tag Was Deprecated
The <blink> tag was technically deprecated after some layered reasons (some technical, others, usability, and web standards philosophy).
1. Dose of Separation of Concerns
The above principle of splitting Web development into structure, style, and behavior has formed the modern Web development. This can be explained by the layers that are used to create web development projects that are composed of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
The initial one is a structure that shows and tags up content with HTML.
The second layer is Presentation, which designates layout and images with CSS.
Layer three is to introduce interactivity in JavaScript.
The <blink> tag blends structure (HTML) with the visual behavior (blinking), and this model is broken. It closely binds presentation and content, causing inflexible code that is difficult to maintain.
2. Accessibility Challenges
The presence of blinking content causes severe issues to users who:
- Photosensitive epilepsy: Flashing or flickering in a short period can be an inducer of seizures.
- Individuals with cognitive conditions may find flickering text overwhelming or distracting.
- Screen reader problem: Most assistive technologies merely overlook the flickering effect or what it is intended to accomplish.
3. Contradictory and Non-standard Browser Support
The <blink>Tag had no official relationship to the W3C HTML specification. It was a proprietary technology established by the Netscape Navigator in the 90s. Internet Explorer being another browser, never incorporated it.
Gradually, partly under the prodding of browser vendors toward standards compliance, fringe tags such as <blink> and <marquee> were deprecated or turned off:
- Mozilla Firefox kept <blink> as a novelty feature for several years, but that feature was dropped with the 23 release (in 2013).
- It never supported Google Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge, or Opera in any case.
4. Mistreatment and Overuse in Web Design of Early Design
The tag soon became synonymous with poor and old-fashioned design or unprofessional design due to cluttered interfaces and poor readability. This was being misused and continued to tarnish its image, and ended up getting deprecated.
5. Better and Safer Alternatives Emerged
When CSS and JavaScript were more fully developed, the developers had access to tools that could create blinking effects in a more manageable and available manner. These included:
- @keyframes animation
- CSS transitions
- JavaScript timeouts or intervals
Creative Uses of <blink> in Fun and Educational Projects
Although modern browsers do not support the <blink> tag, it does not make it useless at all. Whether you are learning HTML or yourself teaching others about the development of HTML tags over the years, the HTML deprecated tag of <blink> can be used to have some fun and learn some reasons as to why some web standards change in nature.
1. Educational Demonstrations
In a classroom setting, or when trying to learn HTML, the blink of HTML tag can be used to demonstrate how tags work. This results in epic discussions on the support of various browsers, accessibility, and how the web design has evolved over the years. You can even compare ancient tags with the new ones, such as the CSS animations.
2. Production of Browser Easter Eggs
Have you ever done a Blink HTML Google trick? It is some sort of a secret gem, one where you search a particular word on Google, when you enter some keywords like blink html, some of the results blink out themselves. This trick explains how HTML can play with JavaScript and the DOM in amusing times.
3. Retro-Themed Websites
In the case when you are working on a retro 90s-style site or a portfolio project that resembles old web designs, you can run the blink HTML tag in order to make it look vintage, especially when you are demonstrating how the Internet of the past looked. All you need to clarify to the users is that it is done on purpose and is merely in the interest of nostalgia.
Modern Alternatives to <blink> for Attention-Grabbing Text
Then what can we do to make something stand out other than the ancient <blink> tag? This is where modern web tools come to the rescue:
CSS Animations
You can make anything animate, blinking, bouncing, or fading. This is a CSS snippet in the blink style:
Output:
Explanation:
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Conclusion
Today’s websites prioritize accessibility, clean interfaces, and cross-browser compatibility. That is why, at the moment, we have CSS animations and beautiful layouts to emphasize the content of high importance. The story of the <blink> tag shows that the web is always evolving; what was once a clever shortcut can quickly become outdated or bad practice. It is worth being always curious, always modern, and dropping the blinking.
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HTML blink Tag- FAQs
Q1. What is the blink tag in HTML?
The blink tag was used in early HTML to make text flash or blink on the screen. It was supported by older browsers like Netscape but is now deprecated and no longer supported by modern browsers.
Q2. Why was the blink tag deprecated?
The blink tag was deprecated because it was considered distracting, inconsistent across platforms, and posed accessibility issues. Modern web standards favor CSS for animations and effects.
Q3. Is the blink tag still supported in any browser today?
No, major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge have completely dropped support for the blink tag. It will not work in modern websites.
Q4. What is the modern alternative to the blink tag?
Instead of using blink, developers now use CSS animations (like @keyframes and animation properties) to create blinking or flashing text effects in a more controlled and accessible way.
Q5. Should I use the blink tag in my HTML projects?
No, you should avoid using the blink tag in all current projects. It is obsolete and may cause your site to appear outdated or broken. Use CSS for all animation-related needs.