The subhead element

Categories
Flow content
Palpable content
Contexts in which this element can be used:
As a descendant of an header element
As a child of an h1 to h6 element
Content model:
Phrasing content.
Content attributes:
Global attributes
DOM interface:
Uses HTMLElement.

The subhead element when used as a child of a h1 to h6 element, represents a subordinate part or parts of a heading . When used as a descendant of a header element which has a descendant h1 to h6 element it represents a tagline, standfirst, or byline for that heading.

Authors must only use subhead as a child of a h1 to h6 or a descendant of a header element.

When subhead is present as a child of a heading, software employing the outline algorithm to produce a document outline, may mask subhead content from the outline or present the content of the subhead element as differentiated from the main part of the heading.

Here are some examples of use of the subhead element.

As a child of a heading indicating a subtitle:

<h1>
Dr. Strangelove <subhead>Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb</subhead>
</h1>

a second example used as a child of a heading to indicate a subtitle:

<h1>HTML
<subhead>Living Standard — Last Updated 8 June 2013</subhead></h1>

As a descendant of a header element that contains a heading, indicating a standfirst. Note the use of the microdata attributes which provide for more granular semantics.

<html itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/NewsArticle">
... 

<header>

<h1 itemprop="name headline">
Syrian town of Qusair falls to Hezbollah in breakthrough for Assad
</h1>

<subhead itemprop="description">
Rebels confirm they have pulled out of strategic town after 
three-week siege by Lebanese militia
</subhead>
</header>

...