What is the difference between an inline element and a block element?

The distinction between inline and block elements is fundamentally tied to their behavior in the layout of a webpage. Inline elements do not start on a new line; they instead flow alongside other elements on the same line. This characteristic allows multiple inline elements to coexist next to each other within the same line, making them ideal for elements like links, span tags, and images that you want to display in a row.

On the other hand, block elements have the property of starting on a new line. When a block element is rendered, it takes up the full width available and pushes any elements that follow it down to the next line. This behavior is typical for elements such as headings, paragraphs, and divs.

Understanding these characteristics is crucial when structuring HTML documents, as they impact how content is visually organized and presented. The other options do not accurately capture the defining traits of inline and block elements. For example, while it's true that inline elements can contain block elements, that is not a fundamental difference in their classification but rather speaks to their nesting behavior. Similarly, the comparison of space occupied by both element types doesn't reflect their primary functional distinction, and both types being identical contradicts their defined behaviors.