What is an unordered list vs. an ordered list?

Question

What is the difference between a <ul> and an <ol>?

Answer

An unordered list (<ul>) is used to create a list of items in no particular order i.e. the order of items is not relevant. By default, the items in this list will be marked with bullets. Whereas, an ordered list (<ol>) is used to create a list of items in a specific order. By default, the items in this list will be marked with numbers.

When should I use an unordered list or an ordered list?

Use an unordered list when you wish to create a list of items where the order of items does not matter. For example, if you are writing a list of ingredients to buy to bake a cake, it would be appropriate to use an unordered list because the list of items does not have to be in any particular order.

Use an ordered list when the order of items is used to provide sequential information. For example, if you are creating a recipe to bake a cake, it would be appropriate to use an ordered list, as the correct order of instructions is necessary to make the dish properly.

For additional support, the Guided Manual WCAG Audit Tool from Accessible Web includes a step to help you find the lists on a webpage and determine if they are coded correctly. If you are an agency and want to roll out accessibility to all your sites, let's talk about our accessibility for agencies partner program.

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