<ol>: The Ordered List element

The <ol> HTML element represents an ordered list of items — typically rendered as a numbered list.

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Attributes

This element also accepts the global attributes.

reversed

This Boolean attribute specifies that the list's items are in reverse order. Items will be numbered from high to low.

start

An integer to start counting from for the list items. Always an Arabic numeral (1, 2, 3, etc.), even when the numbering type is letters or Roman numerals. For example, to start numbering elements from the letter "d" or the Roman numeral "iv," use start="4".

type

Sets the numbering type:

  • a for lowercase letters
  • A for uppercase letters
  • i for lowercase Roman numerals
  • I for uppercase Roman numerals
  • 1 for numbers (default)

The specified type is used for the entire list unless a different type attribute is used on an enclosed <li> element.

Note: Unless the type of the list number matters (like legal or technical documents where items are referenced by their number/letter), use the CSS list-style-type property instead.

Usage notes

Typically, ordered list items display with a preceding marker, such as a number or letter.

The <ol> and <ul> elements may nest as deeply as desired, alternating between <ol> and <ul> however you like.

The <ol> and <ul> elements both represent a list of items. The difference is with the <ol> element, the order is meaningful. For example:

  • Steps in a recipe
  • Turn-by-turn directions
  • The list of ingredients in decreasing proportion on nutrition information labels

To determine which list to use, try changing the order of the list items; if the meaning changes, use the <ol> element — otherwise you can use <ul>.

Examples

Simple example

html

<ol>
  <li>Fee</li>
  <li>Fi</li>
  <li>Fo</li>
  <li>Fum</li>
</ol>

Result

Using Roman Numeral type

html

<ol type="i">
  <li>Introduction</li>
  <li>List of Grievances</li>
  <li>Conclusion</li>
</ol>

Result

Using the start attribute

html

<p>Finishing places of contestants not in the winners' circle:</p>

<ol start="4">
  <li>Speedwalk Stu</li>
  <li>Saunterin' Sam</li>
  <li>Slowpoke Rodriguez</li>
</ol>

Result

Nesting lists

html

<ol>
  <li>first item</li>
  <li>
    second item
    <!-- closing </li> tag is not here! -->
    <ol>
      <li>second item first subitem</li>
      <li>second item second subitem</li>
      <li>second item third subitem</li>
    </ol>
  </li>
  <!-- Here's the closing </li> tag -->
  <li>third item</li>
</ol>

Result

Unordered list inside ordered list

html

<ol>
  <li>first item</li>
  <li>
    second item
    <!-- closing </li> tag is not here! -->
    <ul>
      <li>second item first subitem</li>
      <li>second item second subitem</li>
      <li>second item third subitem</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <!-- Here's the closing </li> tag -->
  <li>third item</li>
</ol>

Result

Technical summary

Content categories Flow content, and if the <ol> element's children include at least one <li> element, palpable content.
Permitted content Zero or more <li>, <script> and <template> elements.
Tag omission None, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts flow content.
Implicit ARIA role list
Permitted ARIA roles directory, group, listbox, menu, menubar, none, presentation, radiogroup, tablist, toolbar, tree
DOM interface HTMLOListElement

Specifications

Specification
HTML Standard
# the-ol-element

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also

  • Other list-related HTML Elements: <ul>, <li>, <menu>
  • CSS properties that may be specially useful to style the <ol> element:
    • the list-style property, to choose the way the ordinal displays
    • CSS counters, to handle complex nested lists
    • the line-height property, to simulate the deprecated compact attribute
    • the margin property, to control the list indentation