Navigating the Web with HTML Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks, or simply "links," are the backbone of the World Wide Web, allowing users to navigate between documents and websites. In HTML, links are created using the <a> (anchor) tag. The most crucial part of a link is the href attribute, which specifies the destination URL.

The Basic Syntax of a Link

The <a> tag wraps around the content that you want to be clickable. This content, known as the "link text," is what the user sees on the page.

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The target Attribute: Controlling Where Links Open

The target attribute determines where the linked document will open. The most common value is _blank, which opens the link in a new tab, and is useful for external links.

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Absolute vs. Relative URLs

You can specify the link's destination in two ways:

Absolute URL: A full web address used for linking to external websites (e.g., https://www.google.com/).
Relative URL: A partial address that points to a file within the same website (e.g., /about-us).

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HTML Images (Relative)

Using Images as Links

Any HTML element can be turned into a link, including images. To do this, simply place an <img> tag inside an <a> tag.

Link to an Email Address

You can create a link that opens the user's default email client by using the mailto: scheme in the href attribute.

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Button as a Link

To use an HTML button as a link, you can add some JavaScript code.

The title Attribute

The title attribute provides extra information about a link, shown as a tooltip on hover.

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Chapter Summary

The <a> element defines a hyperlink.
The href attribute specifies the destination URL.
The target attribute controls where the link opens.

HTML Links