Header vs. Heading — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 2, 2023
A header is a top section of a document or webpage containing information or navigation elements. A heading is a title or subtitle used to introduce sections within the content.
Difference Between Header and Heading
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A header often includes logos, navigation menus, or contact information. A heading is typically a title or subtitle within the content.
Headers are usually consistent across multiple pages or sections. Headings change to reflect the subject of different sections or topics.
In web design, a header is a repeated element across web pages. In contrast, a heading is used to organize and title different parts of a page.
Headers can include interactive elements or links. Headings are primarily textual and focus on providing a title or introduction.
The header serves as an identifier of the document or webpage. The heading acts as a guide to the specific content that follows.
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Comparison Chart
Location
Top section of a document or webpage
Titles or subtitles within content
Content
Logos, navigation, contact info
Textual titles, subtitles
Consistency
Usually consistent across pages
Changes with different content
Purpose
Identify and navigate
Organize and introduce sections
Interactive Elements
May include interactive links
Primarily textual, non-interactive
Compare with Definitions
Header
Area containing navigational elements.
She clicked on a link in the header to contact support.
Heading
Organizational tool in written work.
Each heading in the report introduced a new topic.
Header
Repeated section across multiple pages.
The header on each page had the same menu.
Heading
Directive title in articles or essays.
The essay's main heading was bold and centered.
Header
A shot or pass made with the head.
Heading
Title or subtitle within a document.
The chapter's heading was The Rise of Civilizations.
Header
A headlong fall or dive.
Heading
Text indicating the subject of a section.
Under the heading Ingredients, the recipe listed flour and sugar.
Header
A brick or stone laid at right angles to the face of a wall.
Heading
Label for different sections of content.
The magazine had a colorful heading for each feature story.
Header
A line or block of text appearing at the top of each page of a book or document.
Heading
A title at the head of a page or section of a book
Chapter headings
Header
A raised tank of water maintaining pressure in a plumbing system.
Heading
A direction or bearing
He crawled on a heading of 90 degrees until he came to the track
Header
A person who ropes a steer by its head (as opposed to its heels), especially in a team-roping rodeo event
The steer ran straight and the header made a good catch
Heading
A horizontal passage made in preparation for building a tunnel.
Header
A mad or foolish person.
Heading
A strip of cloth at the top of a curtain above the hooks or wire by which it is suspended.
Header
One that fits a head on an object.
Heading
The title, subtitle, or topic that stands at the top or beginning, as of a paragraph, letter, or chapter.
Header
One that removes a head from an object, especially a machine that reaps the heads of grain and passes them into a wagon or receptacle.
Heading
The course or direction in which a ship or aircraft is pointing or moving.
Header
A pipe that serves as a central connection for two or more smaller pipes.
Heading
A gallery or drift in a mine.
Header
A floor or roof beam placed between two long beams that supports the ends of the tailpieces.
Heading
The end of a gallery or drift.
Header
A brick or stone laid at a right angle to the face of a wall so that only its short end is showing. Also called bonder.
Heading
Present participle of head
Header
(Informal) A headlong dive or fall.
Heading
The title or topic of a document, article, chapter, or of a section thereof.
Put the information under the "Advantages" heading
Header
(Sports) A pass or shot made in soccer by heading the ball.
Heading
(nautical) The direction into which a seagoing or airborne vessel's bow is pointing (apparent heading) and/or the direction into which it is actually moving relative to the ground (true heading)
Header
Textual information, such as a title, date, or page number, positioned in the top margin of a page and usually repeated throughout a document.
Heading
Material for the heads of casks, barrels, etc.
Header
A raised tank or hopper that maintains a constant pressure or supply to a system, especially the small tank that supplies water to a central heating system.
Heading
(mining) A gallery, drift, or adit in a mine; also, the end of a drift or gallery; the vein above a drift.
Header
The upper portion of a page (or other) layout.
If you reduce the header of this document, the body will fit onto a single page.
Heading
(sewing) The extension of a line ruffling above the line of stitch.
Header
Text, or other visual information, used to mark off a quantity of text, often titling or summarizing it.
Your header is too long; "Local Cannibals" will suffice.
Heading
(masonry) The end of a stone or brick which is presented outward.
Header
Text, or other visual information, that goes at the top of a column of information in a table.
That column should have the header "payment status".
Heading
(flags) A strip of material at the hoist end of a flag, used for attaching the flag to its halyard.
Header
(informal) A font, text style, or typesetting used for any of the above.
Parts of speech belong in a level-three header. Level-two headers are reserved for the name of the language.
Heading
The act or state of one who, or that which, heads; formation of a head.
Header
(computing) The first part of a file or record that describes its contents.
The header includes an index, an identifier, and a pointer to the next entry.
Heading
That which stands at the head; title; as, the heading of a paper.
Header
(programming) header file
Heading
Material for the heads of casks, barrels, etc.
Header
(networking) the first part of a packet or stream, often containing its address and descriptors.
The encapsulation layer adds an eight-byte header and a two-byte trailer to each packet.
Heading
A gallery, drift, or adit in a mine; the vein above a drift.
Header
(masonry) A brick that is laid sideways at the top of a wall or within the brickwork with the short side showing.
This wall has four header courses.
Heading
The extension of a line ruffling above the line of stitch.
Header
A horizontal structural or finish piece over an opening.
Heading
That end of a stone or brick which is presented outward.
Header
A machine that separates and gathers the heads of grain etc.
They fed the bale into the header.
Heading
A line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about;
The heading seemed to have little to do with the text
Header
(soccer) The act of hitting the ball with the head.
His header for the goal followed a perfect corner kick.
Heading
The direction or path along which something moves or along which it lies
Header
(soccer) Someone who heads the ball.
Diving header
Heading
A horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine;
They dug a drift parallel with the vein
Header
A headlong fall, jump or dive.
The clown tripped over the other clown and took a header.
Header
A raised tank that supplies water at constant pressure, especially to a central heating and hot water system.
Header
A pipe which connects several smaller pipes.
Common practice is to use plastic pipes with iron headers.
Header
The rodeo performer who drives the steer toward the heeler to be tied.
Header
One who puts a head on something.
Header
To strike (a ball) with one's head.
Header
One who, or that which, heads nails, rivets, etc., esp. a machine for heading.
Header
One who heads a movement, a party, or a mob; head; chief; leader.
Header
A brick or stone laid with its shorter face or head in the surface of the wall.
Header
A reaper for wheat, that cuts off the heads only.
Header
A fall or plunge head first, as while riding a bicycle, or a skateboard, or in bathing; - sometimes, implying the striking of the head on the ground; as, to take a header.
Header
A line of text serving to indicate what the passage below it is about;
The heading seemed to have little to do with the text
Header
Horizontal beam used as a finishing piece over a door or window
Header
Brick that is laid sideways at the top of a wall
Header
A framing member crossing and supporting the ends of joists, studs, or rafters so as to transfer their weight to parallel joists, studs, or rafters
Header
A machine that cuts the heads off grain and moves them into a wagon
Header
(soccer) the act of hitting the ball with your head
Header
A headlong jump (or fall);
He took a header into the shrubbery
Header
Top section of a document or webpage.
The website's header displayed the company logo.
Header
Part of an email containing sender information.
He checked the email header for the sender's address.
Header
Structural element in HTML documents.
The developer added a search bar in the header.
Common Curiosities
Do headers change from page to page?
Generally, they remain consistent across pages.
What is a header in a document?
It's the top section containing information or navigation.
Can a heading include navigation links?
No, headings are typically just titles or subtitles.
Can a heading be used to organize content?
Yes, it's used to introduce and organize sections.
Is a header always at the top?
Yes, it's typically at the top of a document or webpage.
Can headings be of different levels?
Yes, there are often multiple levels of headings.
Can a header include a company logo?
Yes, company logos are often in headers.
Can a header contain a search bar?
Yes, search bars can be included in headers.
What might a header include in an email?
Sender, recipient information, and subject line.
Are headings important for SEO?
Yes, they help organize content and improve SEO.
Do headers appear on every page of a website?
Typically, they are on every page for consistency.
Are headers part of the HTML structure?
Yes, headers are structural elements in HTML.
Do headings contribute to the layout?
Yes, they play a key role in content layout.
Can a heading be a question?
Yes, headings can be phrased as questions.
Should headings be concise?
Yes, they should be clear and to the point.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
