[html] multiple classes on single element html

Is it a good practice to use many classes on one single HTML element? For example:

<div class="nav nav-centered nav-reversed navbar navigation-block"></div>

I don't mean that two or three classes on one element is bad, but how about four, five or even six?

It's a good practice if you need them. It's also a good practice is they make sense, so future coders can understand what you're doing.

But generally, no it's not a good practice to attach 10 class names to an object because most likely whatever you're using them for, you could accomplish the same thing with far fewer classes. Probably just 1 or 2.

To qualify that statement, javascript plugins and scripts may append far more classnames to do whatever it is they're going to do. Modernizr for example appends anywhere from 5 - 25 classes to your body tag, and there's a very good reason for it. jQuery UI appends lots of classnames when you use one of the widgets in that library.

Short Answer

Yes.

Explanation

It is a good practice since an element can be a part of different groups, and you may want specific elements to be a part of more than one group. The element can hold an infinite number of classes in HTML5, while in HTML4 you are limited by a specific length.

The following example will show you the use of multiple classes.

The first class makes the text color red.

The second class makes the background-color blue.

See how the DOM Element with multiple classes will behave, it will wear both CSS statements at the same time.

Result: multiple CSS statements in different classes will stack up.

You can read more about CSS Specificity.

CSS

.class1 {
    color:red;
}

.class2 {
    background-color:blue;
}

HTML

<div class="class1">text 1</div>
<div class="class2">text 2</div>
<div class="class1 class2">text 3</div>

Live demo