HTML and CSS Certification Practice Test 2026 - Free HTML and CSS Practice Questions and Study Guide

The <nav> element is specifically designed to define a navigation section within an HTML document. Its primary purpose is to group together a set of navigation links, typically used for site navigation. When web developers use the <nav> element, they are creating a semantic structure that indicates to both users and search engines that the contained links are navigational in nature, providing a clear understanding of the purpose of that section.

This semantic approach enhances accessibility and SEO, as screen readers can interpret the <nav> element and inform users about its content being primarily for navigation. Consequently, the <nav> element serves as a vital component in structuring web pages, helping users quickly locate the primary navigation options available on a site.

In contrast, the other elements mentioned do not serve the same purpose; <navigation> is not a valid HTML tag, <link> is primarily used to define relationships between documents, and <header> is used for introductory content or navigation headers but does not specifically denote navigation links themselves.