What is Iframe or Inline Frame?

Meaning & Definition

Iframe or Inline Frame

An iframe, short for “inline frame,” is an HTML element used to embed content from another web page or source within the current web page. It allows you to include external content, such as documents, videos, web forms, or entire web pages, directly within the body of a web page. This enables you to create a seamless integration of content from different sources into a single web page.

Here are some key points about iframes:

• HTML Element

An iframe is an HTML element that is defined using <iframe> the tag. You specify the source of the content to be displayed using the src attribute.</p>

• Example: HTML code <iframe src=”https://www.example.com”></iframe>

• External Content

The content to be displayed within the iframe is typically hosted on a different website or web server. The src attribute contains the URL of the external content.

• Size and Dimensions

You can control the size and dimensions of the iframe using attributes like width and height to specify the width and height of the iframe in pixels.

• Example: HTML code <iframe src=”https://www.example.com” width=”400″ height=”300″></iframe>

• Scrollbars

If the content within the iframe is larger than the dimensions of the iframe, scrollbars can automatically appear to allow users to scroll through the content. You can control the display of scrollbars using attributes like scrolling.

• Example: HTML code <iframe src=”https://www.example.com” width=”400″ height=”300″ scrolling=”auto”></iframe>

• Security

Iframes are often used for embedding external content, but it’s important to be cautious about the security implications. In some cases, websites may use iframe embedding restrictions (Content Security Policy) to prevent their content from being embedded on other sites.

• Target

he target attribute specifies where the linked content will be displayed. For iframes, it is typically not used because the content is embedded within the iframe itself.

Iframes are commonly used for a variety of purposes, such as:

• Embedding videos from platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
• Displaying content from social media widgets (e.g., Twitter or Facebook feeds).
• Including forms hosted on other websites.
• Integrating maps from services like Google Maps.
• Displaying external documents, such as PDFs.

Iframes are a powerful tool for web developers to combine and display content from different sources within a single web page, but it’s important to use them responsibly and consider security and usability factors when implementing them.