Re: Which tag shall i use for navigation menu (<menu type="list"> or <nav><ul>)?

On Sat, 13 Mar 2010, Alex Troll wrote:
>
> I'd very like to use <menu> tag for my primary navigation menu of
> links (not js-actions as html5-spec advise), cause it does semantics
> sense for me. And it already has back compatibility with old browsers
> (from the html3).
> Or should i use <nav><ul id="menu"> for that purpose?

Yes.


> Or even <nav><menu>?

<menu> in HTML5 is for toolbars or context menus.


> I think the meaning of <nav> element should be reconsidered. As
> html5doctor.com said there are many true "navigation uses", like:
>     * Table of Contents
>     * Previous/next buttons (or pagination)
>     * Search form
>     * Breadcrumbs
> Here in Russia, we called "navigation menu of links" only "menu" in
> discussions. And translate "menu" as "site's primary navigation menu",
> not as "program menu, or command menu". We called it "menu" ten years
> ago, and calling now. Is it different than in Europe?

Element names in HTML have little relationship to the usage of those names 
in reality, to be honest. I wouldn't pay too close attention to the 
meaning of the element names in common conversation; only their definition 
in the spec matters.


> So, which tag shall i use for site's primary navigation and why?

<nav>, because that's what it's for.


> If you don't mind i'd like to post your answer in my blog, there are 
> near half-hundred of web-developers who interested in this question. 

Sure.


> Should we listen to specification or not.

Yes we should. :-)

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
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Received on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 00:05:03 UTC