The Deprecated HTML `<frameset>` Tag: Why Modern Web Design Uses CSS and Iframes

Understand why the HTML `<frameset>` tag is deprecated and learn about modern alternatives for creating complex web page layouts. This tutorial explains the shift away from frames and highlights the advantages of using CSS and iframes for building responsive and accessible websites.

The Deprecated HTML `<frameset>` Tag

Understanding the `<frameset>` Tag

In older versions of HTML (HTML 4), the `<frameset>` tag was used to create framesets—web pages divided into multiple frames, each displaying separate content. This approach allowed for complex layouts where different parts of a page could be updated independently. However, the `<frameset>` tag is now deprecated in HTML5, meaning it’s no longer officially supported and shouldn't be used in new code. The frame-based approach to web page design has been largely abandoned in favor of more flexible layout techniques.

Alternatives to `<frameset>`

Modern web development uses CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and techniques like iframes (`<iframe>`) to achieve similar results. These methods offer significantly more control over layout and are better suited for creating responsive and mobile-friendly websites. CSS provides far more flexibility for managing page layout, and it’s generally much easier to use than using frames. If you need to embed content from another page, using an iframe is now the standard and recommended approach.

<iframe src="mypage.html" width="300" height="200" title="Embedded Page"></iframe>