The <code> element in HTML is used to represent a fragment of computer code. It is intended for displaying programming or markup code inline within a paragraph or other textual content. Unlike other textual elements, <code> emphasizes that the content is to be interpreted as literal code rather than normal prose.

Visually, browsers typically render <code> text in a monospace (fixed-width) font to distinguish it from surrounding content, which helps improve readability for developers and users referencing code snippets. It is important to note that <code> does not automatically format the text as a block or preserve whitespace; it is primarily an inline element. For multi-line code blocks, <pre> is often used in combination with <code> to preserve indentation and line breaks.

The <code> tag is semantically meaningful and aids accessibility. Screen readers and other assistive technologies may announce it as code, helping users understand the context of the content. It is commonly used in documentation, tutorials, technical articles, and anywhere specific code needs to be highlighted within descriptive text.

Example usage (inline):

<p>To display text in bold, use the <code>strong</code> tag.</p>

Example usage (with <pre> for blocks):

<pre><code>
function greet(name) {
    console.log("Hello, " + name + "!");
}
</code></pre>