How specify the starting number of an ordered HTML list

Published at: May 29 2022
Updated at: Aug 18 2023
Reading time: 2min

This post is part of my Today I learned series in which I share all my web development learnings.

I discovered an HTML attribute that I hadn't seen before. Let me introduce you to the value attribute. 👇

Quick HTML tip: I just discovered that `li` elements support a `value` attribute to configure the start of an ordered list. Example showing an ordered list including a list item that defines a `value` property.

Trending Tweets often come with priceless comments. And it turned out that there are multiple ways to control the numbers of an ordered list.

Let's have a quick look!

Specify the list start using `start`

Manuel pointed out that the start attribute also allows you to specify the beginning of the unordered list. Ordered lists usually start at 1.

<p>Here are the first two:</p>
<ol>
 <li>One</li>
 <li>Two</li>
</ol>
<p>And the last two:</p>
<ol start="3">
 <li>Three</li>
 <li>Four</li>
</ol><p>Here are the first two:</p>
<ol>
 <li>One</li>
 <li>Two</li>
</ol>
<p>And the last two:</p>
<ol start="3">
 <li>Three</li>
 <li>Four</li>
</ol>

body {
 color: #eee;
}body {
 color: #eee;
}

Preview

This functionality is valuable if your listings are divided by paragraphs and additional information.

Define the list item position using `value`

As already mentioned; if you want to control the position of a single list item, you can also use the value attribute on a specific list item.

<p>Here are the winners:</p>
<ol>
 <li>First</li>
 <li value="1">Also first</li>
 <li>Second</li>
 <li>Third</li>
</ol><p>Here are the winners:</p>
<ol>
 <li>First</li>
 <li value="1">Also first</li>
 <li>Second</li>
 <li>Third</li>
</ol>

body {
 color: #eee;
}body {
 color: #eee;
}

Preview

This functionality is valuable if you're dealing with rankings and two entries are in the same position.

Bonus: Control list styles via CSS

And for completeness, there are also ways to control the list styles via list-style in CSS.

<ol>
 <li>First</li>
 <li value="1">Second</li>
 <li>Third</li>
</ol><ol>
 <li>First</li>
 <li value="1">Second</li>
 <li>Third</li>
</ol>

@counter-style circled-alpha {
 system: fixed;
 symbols: Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Ⓕ Ⓖ Ⓗ Ⓘ Ⓙ Ⓚ Ⓛ Ⓜ Ⓝ Ⓞ Ⓟ Ⓠ Ⓡ Ⓢ Ⓣ Ⓤ Ⓥ Ⓦ Ⓧ Ⓨ Ⓩ;
 suffix: " ";
}


body {
 color: #eee;
}

ol {
 list-style: circled-alpha;
}@counter-style circled-alpha {
 system: fixed;
 symbols: Ⓐ Ⓑ Ⓒ Ⓓ Ⓔ Ⓕ Ⓖ Ⓗ Ⓘ Ⓙ Ⓚ Ⓛ Ⓜ Ⓝ Ⓞ Ⓟ Ⓠ Ⓡ Ⓢ Ⓣ Ⓤ Ⓥ Ⓦ Ⓧ Ⓨ Ⓩ;
 suffix: " ";
}


body {
 color: #eee;
}

ol {
 list-style: circled-alpha;
}

Preview

About the author

Stefan standing in the park in front of a green background

Frontend nerd with over ten years of experience, "Today I Learned" blogger, conference speaker, Tiny helpers maintainer, and DevRel at Checkly.

How specify the starting number of an ordered HTML list

Specify the list start using `start`

Define the list item position using `value`

Bonus: Control list styles via CSS

Related Topics

Related Articles

About the author

How specify the starting number of an ordered HTML list

Specify the list start using start

Define the list item position using value

Bonus: Control list styles via CSS

Related Topics

Related Articles

About the author

Specify the list start using `start`

Define the list item position using `value`