HTML: the cite element

The <cite> element identifies the title of a creative work or other cited source.

Mark a work title

<p>I recommend <cite>The Web Handbook</cite> to new developers.</p>

The element marks the title of a book, article, film, song, report, or similar work. Browsers often render it in italics, but the semantic meaning is the reason to use it.

Do not confuse titles with quotations

<p>The article says, <q>start with the user</q>.</p>
<blockquote cite="https://example.com/guide">
  Design for the people who use the page.
</blockquote>
<p>Source: <cite>Accessibility Guide</cite></p>

Use <q> or <blockquote> for quoted words. Use <cite> for the work's title, not for the quotation itself.

People and organizations

Write a person's or organization's name as normal text unless it is also the title of a work. Use a link when readers need to visit the source or learn about the author.

Common mistakes

• Wrapping every person's name in <cite>.
• Using <cite> around the quoted sentence instead of its source title.
• Assuming the element automatically creates a link or displays the source URL.
• Using italics as a reason to ignore the actual meaning of the text.