The SPAN element is used in situations where the author wishes to apply
a style using Cascading Style Sheets to a content area (text, etc.) that does not
have a structured or established HTML rendering convention. It is an in-place
Character Formatting level element that does
NOT have an implied linebreak before and after the enclosed
content. For more information on Style Sheets, please see the
Style Sheet Guide.
The recent addition of the many linking attributes to DIV and SPAN appear
to be an attempt to expand the generic block and in-line capabilities of
these two elements.
Note that the SPAN element was not listed in the
Character Formatting section, even
though it is a Character Level element. Span is a new HTML element
that is generic and does not serve any purpose without Style
information attached. For this reason, it is grouped with other
elements that control Style Sheet use.
Because SPAN is a generalized in-line HTML
Character Formatting element, it should
be used when you wish to define a general grouping of Styled text.
DIV (SPAN's Block Formatting equivalent)
should be used when you wish to create a generalized
Block Formatting element with an implied
linebreak before and after.