Bold with b versus strong tags in HTML5

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Some of you may have been doing web design long enough to hear the instruction of not to use the <b> tag and to only use the <strong> tag for bolding text.

Well, in HTML5, the <b> tag is a perfectly legitimate tag to use.  And so is the <strong> tag.  So when to use <b> tag and when to use <strong>?

Both will bold text with appearance being the same.  However, the semantic meaning of the two are different.

Use <b> when you want bolded text for cosmetic reasons and when you do not intent to give the text any stronger weight in voice.   HTML5 W3C says to use <b> …

“for utilitarian purposes without conveying any extra importance and with no implication of an alternate voice or mood”

Use <strong> to give text a stronger voice along with a bolded appearance.

 

 

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