HTML 4 added the ability to let events trigger actions in a browser, like starting a JavaScript when a user clicks on an element.
To learn more about programming events, please visit our JavaScript tutorial and our DHTML tutorial.
Below is the standard event attributes that can be inserted into HTML / XHTML elements to define event actions.
<body> and <frameset> Events
The two attributes below can only be used in <body> or <frameset>:
| Attribute | Value | Description |
| onload | script | Script to be run when a document load |
| onunload | script | Script to be run when a document unload |
Form Events
The attributes below can be used in form elements:
| Attribute | Value | Description |
| onblur | script | Script to be run when an element loses focus |
| onchange | script | Script to be run when an element change |
| onfocus | script | Script to be run when an element gets focus |
| onreset | script | Script to be run when a form is reset |
| onselect | script | Script to be run when an element is selected |
| onsubmit | script | Script to be run when a form is submitted |
Image Events
The attribute below can be used with the img element:
| Attribute | Value | Description |
| onabort | script | Script to be run when loading of an image is interrupted |
Keyboard Events
Valid in all elements except base, bdo, br, frame, frameset, head, html, iframe, meta, param, script, style, and title.
| Attribute | Value | Description |
| onkeydown | script | Script to be run when a key is pressed |
| onkeypress | script | Script to be run when a key is pressed and released |
| onkeyup | script | Script to be run when a key is released |
Mouse Events
Valid in all elements except base, bdo, br, frame, frameset, head, html, iframe, meta, param, script, style, and title.
| Attribute | Value | Description |
| onclick | script | Script to be run on a mouse click |
| ondblclick | script | Script to be run on a mouse double-click |
| onmousedown | script | Script to be run when mouse button is pressed |
| onmousemove | script | Script to be run when mouse pointer moves |
| onmouseout | script | Script to be run when mouse pointer moves out of an element |
| onmouseover | script | Script to be run when mouse pointer moves over an element |
| onmouseup | script | Script to be run when mouse button is released |
