


How to create a table with merged cells (colspan and rowspan) in HTML?
Jul 11, 2025 am 02:47 AMTo create a table that merged cells in HTML, use the colspan and rowspan properties. 1. Colspan is used to merge cells horizontally, setting a position of one cell occupying multiple columns. For example, when the table header spans two columns, using colspan="2"; 2. rowspan is used to merge cells vertically, making cells span multiple rows, suitable for vertical content merging; 3. When using it, you need to pay attention to adjusting the number of other cells to avoid misalignment. It is recommended to sketch first and then encode it to keep the structure clear, and test browser compatibility to avoid maintenance difficulties due to excessive nesting.
Create a table with merged cells in HTML, mainly using colspan
and rowspan
properties. These two properties control the merging of several cells horizontally and vertically in a cell. Once you master how they are used, it will be more flexible to build complex-structured tables.

Understanding colspan: Merge cells horizontally
colspan
is used to make a cell "occupy" multiple columns. For example, if you want a table header to span two columns, you can set colspan="2"
.

Common usage scenarios :
- When a table has multiple groups, use it to make a big title
- Data in a row needs to be displayed across columns, such as remarks information
<table border="1"> <tr> <th colspan="2">Personal Information</th> <th>Contact information</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Zhang San</td> <td>28 years old</td> <td>13800001111</td> </tr> </table>
In this example, the header of the "Personal Information" occupies two columns, and the following data normally displays three columns.

Note :
- After
colspan="n"
is set, the number of other cells in this row should be reduced accordingly, otherwise the layout may be disordered. - If the next row does not have a restructuring structure, it may cause the table to be misaligned.
Understanding rowspan: Merge cells vertically
rowspan
is to make a cell span multiple rows vertically. For example, you want a certain content to occupy two or more rows of space in a vertical direction.
Common usage scenarios :
- There are duplicate items in the table that can be merged into a large cell
- When there are many data structures related up and down, it improves readability
<table border="1"> <tr> <td rowspan="2">Left content</td> <td>The right side of the first line</td> </tr> <tr> <td>The right side of the second line</td> </tr> </table>
In this example, the "left content" appears only once, but it occupies the height of two lines.
Operation skills :
- The value of
rowspan
represents how many rows the cell will cover (including the row you are in) - After the merge, there is no need to write the corresponding position
<td> or <code><th> in the subsequent lines, otherwise they will be squeezed out.<hr> <h3 id="Things-to-note-in-practical-applications"> Things to note in practical applications</h3> <p> Although <code>colspan
androwspan
are practical, improper use can easily cause table confusion, especially when nested multi-layer merges. Here are some practical suggestions:- Draw sketches first and then encode : It is recommended to draw a structure diagram for complex tables first and mark which cells are merged, so that writing code is not prone to errors.
- Keep the logic clear : merge too many can make HTML structures difficult to maintain, especially dynamically generated tables.
- Test the display effect of different browsers : Although mainstream browsers support these two properties, compatibility needs to be checked in case of complex styles.
- Avoid over-necking : If the table structure is too complex, consider whether you can optimize the display by splitting the table, adding comments, etc.
Basically that's it. By mastering the basic usage of
colspan
androwspan
and understanding their impact on table structure, you can deal with most table merging needs.
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