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HTML <canvas> Tag


Example

Draw a red square, on the fly, and show it inside the <canvas> element:

<canvas id="myCanvas"></canvas>

<script>
var canvas = document.getElementById("myCanvas");
var ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
ctx.fillStyle = "#FF0000";
ctx.fillRect(0, 0, 80, 80);
</script>
Try it Yourself »

Definition and Usage

The <canvas> tag is used to draw graphics, on the fly, via scripting (usually JavaScript).

The <canvas> tag is only a container for graphics, you must use a script to actually draw the graphics.


Browser Support

The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the element.

Element
<canvas> 4.0 9.0 2.0 3.1 9.0

Differences Between HTML 4.01 and HTML5

The <canvas> tag is new in HTML5.


Tips and Notes

Note: Any text inside the <canvas> element will be displayed in browsers that does not support <canvas>.

Tip: Learn more about the <canvas> element in our HTML Canvas Tutorial.

Tip: For a complete reference of all the properties and methods that can be used with the canvas object, go to our HTML Canvas Reference.


Attributes

= New in HTML5.

Attribute Value Description
height pixels Specifies the height of the canvas
width pixels Specifies the width of the canvas

Global Attributes

The <canvas> tag also supports the Global Attributes in HTML.


Event Attributes

The <canvas> tag also supports the Event Attributes in HTML.


Default CSS Settings

None.