The <main> Element
As defined in the HTML Living Standard, the <main> element represents the dominant content of the <body> of a document.
Structural Example:
Header (outside main)
<main>
This is the primary content of the page.
</main>Footer (outside main)
<main>\n <h1>Page Title</h1>\n <p>Primary content goes here...</p>\n</main>
View HTML Living Standard: The main element
Accessibility & Landmarks
The <main> element is a landmark. Landmarks allow screen reader users to jump directly to the most important part of the page, bypassing repetitive navigation.
- Uniqueness: There must not be more than one
<main>element in the document. - Placement: The
<main>element should not be a descendant of<article>,<aside>,<footer>,<header>, or<nav>.
WCAG Requirement: Bypass Blocks
Success Criterion 2.4.1 (Level A): A mechanism is available to bypass blocks of content that are repeated on multiple Web pages.
The <main> element, combined with a "Skip to main content" link, provides the primary mechanism for fulfilling this requirement.