juniorHTML5
What is the purpose of the <time> tag?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
It represents a specific period in time or a date in a machine-readable format.
Deep explanation
By using the datetime attribute, you provide a standardized format (ISO 8601) that search engines and calendar apps can parse, even if the text shown to the user is 'Last Wednesday'.
Real-world example
A blog engine using <time> so Google can accurately show the publish date in search results.
Common mistakes
- Putting non-date text inside the datetime attribute.
Follow-up questions
- Does <time> have to include the year?