summary

The <strong>HTML <code><summary></code> element</strong> is used as a summary, caption, or legend for the content of a <a title="The HTML <details> element is used as a disclosure widget from which the user can retrieve additional information." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/details"><code><details></code></a> element. This attribute defines an alternative text that summarizes the content of the table. Typically, it allows visually impaired people who are browsing the web with a Braille screen, to acquire information about the table. If the information added by this attribute is also useful to people who are not visually impaired, consider using the <a title="The HTML <caption> element represents the title of a table. Though it is always the first descendant of a <table>, its styling, using CSS, may place it elsewhere, relative to the table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/caption"><code><caption></code></a> instead. The summary attribute is not mandatory and may be omitted when a <a title="The HTML <caption> element represents the title of a table. Though it is always the first descendant of a <table>, its styling, using CSS, may place it elsewhere, relative to the table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/caption"><code><caption></code></a> element fulfills its role.

<strong>Usage Note: </strong>Do not use this attribute, as it has been deprecated. Instead, choose one of these methods to add a description of a table:

• Use prose around the table (this method is less semantic).
• Add a description in the table's <a title="The HTML <caption> element represents the title of a table. Though it is always the first descendant of a <table>, its styling, using CSS, may place it elsewhere, relative to the table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/caption"><code><caption></code></a> element.
• Add a description in a <a title="The HTML <details> element is used as a disclosure widget from which the user can retrieve additional information." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/details"><code><details></code></a> element, inside the table's <a title="The HTML <caption> element represents the title of a table. Though it is always the first descendant of a <table>, its styling, using CSS, may place it elsewhere, relative to the table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/caption"><code><caption></code></a> element.
• Include the <a title="The HTML <table> element represents tabular data — that is, information expressed via a two-dimensional data table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/table"><code><table></code></a> element in a <a title="The HTML <figure> element represents self-contained content, frequently with a caption (<figcaption>), and is typically referenced as a single unit." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/figure"><code><figure></code></a> element and add the description in prose next to it.
• Include the <a title="The HTML <table> element represents tabular data — that is, information expressed via a two-dimensional data table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/table"><code><table></code></a> element in a <a title="The HTML <figure> element represents self-contained content, frequently with a caption (<figcaption>), and is typically referenced as a single unit." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/figure"><code><figure></code></a> element and add the description in prose inside a <a title="The HTML <figcaption> element represents a caption or a legend associated with a figure or an illustration described by the rest of the data of the <figure> element which is its immediate ancestor." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/figcaption"><code><figcaption></code></a> element.
• Adjust the table so that a description is not needed (e.g. use <a title="The HTML <th> element defines a cell as header of a group of table cells. The exact nature of this group is defined by the scope and headers attributes." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/th"><code><th></code></a> and <a title="The HTML <thead> element defines a set of rows defining the head of the columns of the table." href="/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/thead"><code><thead></code></a> elements).