What is the significance of meta tags in HTML?

Meta tags hold significant importance in HTML as they offer metadata about the HTML document. This metadata serves multiple purposes and plays a crucial role in how the document is processed by search engines and browsers. For instance, search engines utilize meta tags to gather information about the page, such as its description, keywords, and author, which can influence how the page is indexed and ranked in search results. Additionally, browsers can use some meta tags to manage the display or behavior of the page, such as specifying the character set or controlling viewport settings for responsive design.

In contrast, the other options describe functions that are not related to meta tags. Layout definitions are typically handled by CSS, which styles and positions content on the page. The appearance of images is also managed through CSS and HTML attributes, not through meta tags. Lastly, interactive functionalities are generally established using JavaScript, not through meta tags, which simply provide information rather than functionality.