Formatelement

Formatelement is a general term used to describe a discrete unit that controls formatting in a document, markup language, or user interface. Depending on context, a formatelement may carry presentation instructions such as font, alignment, spacing, or a structural role such as sectioning or grouping content.

In web technologies, the form element usually refers to a container for interactive controls which submits data to a server. In HTML, the form element is represented by the form tag; it does not itself render visible content beyond layout but defines the scope for input, label, select, textarea, and button elements. The form element supports attributes like action, method, enctype, and target, and it interacts with scripts via events.

In typography and document processing, format elements serve as markers or nodes that apply styling or layout rules. Examples include headings, paragraphs, emphasis marks, lists, tables, and page layout blocks. These format elements may be encoded through markup tags, stylesheet rules, or document templates and can be nested to express hierarchy and grouping.

In data formats and publishing pipelines, a formatelement is used to annotate content with presentation metadata or to drive rendering rules for output media such as print or screen display. It is often separated from pure content to enable reuse and accessibility.

See also: HTML form, markup language, CSS, document formatting, styles.