What is the element used for in HTML5?

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The <video></video> element in HTML5 is used to embed video content directly into web pages. It allows developers to include video files—such as MP4, WebM, or Ogg formats—without relying on third-party plugins like Flash.

Here’s what the <video></video> element does and why it’s important:

1. Native Video Playback

The <video></video> tag provides built-in support for playing videos in the browser. You can specify the video source using the <source></source> element, and the browser handles playback controls, buffering, and rendering.

Example:

<video controls>
  <source src="movie.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <source src="movie.webm" type="video/webm">
  Your browser does not support the video tag.
</video>

2. Customizable Controls

You can choose whether to show default playback controls (like play, pause, volume) by adding the controls attribute. Without it, the video plays silently or programmatically unless controlled via JavaScript.

3. Support for Multiple Formats

By including multiple <source></source> elements, you can provide fallback options so the video plays across different browsers, which may support different codecs.

4. Accessibility and Fallback Content

The content between the opening and closing <video></video> tags acts as fallback text for older browsers that don’t support HTML5 video. You can also add subtitles using the <track></track> element for better accessibility.

5. JavaScript Integration

The <video></video> element can be controlled with JavaScript—for example, to play, pause, adjust volume, or respond to events like onplay or onended.

Common attributes include:

• src: Direct video file path
• controls: Shows playback controls
• autoplay: Starts playing automatically (often restricted by browsers)
• loop: Repeats the video
• muted: Mutes audio (helps with autoplay)
• poster: Displays an image before playback starts

Basically, the <video></video> element makes it easy and efficient to include and manage video on websites in a modern, standardized way.

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