Do you think IIT Guwahati certified course can help you in your career?
Introduction
In web development, creating links between different web pages is a crucial task. The HTML href attribute is an important tool for developers to accomplish this. The href attribute, short for "hypertext reference," is used within the <a> tag to specify the destination URL of a link. By setting the href attribute to a specific URL, you can create clickable links that transport users from one page to another, which makes it effortless to navigate & explore a website.
Throughout this article, we'll dive into the details of the href attribute, covering its definition, usage, syntax, & possible attribute values. In this article, we'll explain the definition & use of the href attribute, its syntax, attribute values, & examples. We'll also cover the browsers that support this attribute.
Definition and Usage
The href attribute is used within the <a> tag to specify the destination URL of a link. It stands for "hypertext reference" & is a core part of HTML. When you click on a link that has an href attribute, the browser navigates to the specified URL, loading the new page. This allows users to move between different pages on a website or even navigate to external websites.
The href attribute is not limited to web pages. You can also use it to link to other types of files like images, PDFs, or downloadable files. Additionally, you can create links to specific parts of a page using anchor links. By setting the href attribute to a value that starts with a "#" followed by the ID of an element on the same page, you can create a link that jumps to that specific location when clicked.
Using the href attribute is straightforward and easy. You must include it within the opening <a> tag & set its value to the desired URL or anchor link. The content between the opening & closing <a> tags becomes the clickable link text that users see on the page.
Syntax
The syntax for using the href attribute in an HTML link is :
<a href="url">link text</a>
In this syntax :
<a>: This is the opening tag for a hyperlink. It indicates the start of a link.
href: This is the attribute that specifies the destination URL or anchor link for the link.
"url": This is where you put the actual URL or anchor link. It should be enclosed in double quotes.
link text: This is the clickable text that appears on the page. It goes between the opening & closing <a> tags.
</a>: This is the closing tag for a hyperlink. It indicates the end of the link.
When creating a link, you replace "url" with the actual destination URL or anchor link you want to link to. For example:
In this case, "https://www.example.com" is the destination URL, & "Visit Example.com" is the clickable link text that users will see on the page.
You can also use relative URLs when linking to pages within the same website. For example:
<a href="/about.html">About Us</a>
This link would navigate to the "about.html" page in the root directory of the website.
Attribute Values
The href attribute can accept different types of values depending on the kind of link you want to create. Let’s discuss some common attribute values:
1. Absolute URL: This is a complete URL that includes the protocol (e.g., https://), domain name, and path to the specific page or resource you want to link to. For example:
<a href="https://www.example.com/page.html">Link to Page</a>
2. Relative URL: This is a path that is relative to the current page or the root directory of the website. It doesn't include the domain name. For example:
<a href="page.html">Link to Page</a>
<a href="/directory/page.html">Link to Page in Directory</a>
3. Anchor Link: This link points to a specific part of the same page. It starts with a "#" followed by the ID of the target element. For example:
<a href="#section1">Jump to Section 1</a>
4. Email Address: You can create a link that opens the user's default email client & pre-populates the email address. Use the "mailto:" protocol followed by the email address. For example:
<a href="mailto:info@example.com">Email Us</a>
5. Telephone Number: You can create a link that prompts the user to call a phone number. Use the "tel:" protocol followed by the phone number. For example:
<a href="tel:+1234567890">Call Us</a>
6. Download Link: To create a link that downloads a file when clicked, you can set the href attribute to the URL of the file & include the download attribute. For example:
<html>
<head>
<title>Example Page</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Welcome to Our Website</h1>
<p>Check out these links:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.google.com">Visit Google</a></li>
<li><a href="/about.html">About Us</a></li>
<li><a href="#contact">Contact Us</a></li>
<li><a href="mailto:info@example.com">Send Us an Email</a></li>
<li><a href="tel:+1234567890">Call Us</a></li>
<li><a href="/files/brochure.pdf" download>Download Our Brochure</a></li>
</ul>
<section id="contact">
<h2>Contact Us</h2>
<p>You can reach us at...</p>
</section>
</body>
</html>
Output
Supported Browsers
The href attribute is supported by all major web browsers, like:
1. Google Chrome (all versions)
2. Mozilla Firefox (all versions)
3. Apple Safari (all versions)
4. Microsoft Edge (all versions)
5. Internet Explorer (all versions)
6. Opera (all versions)
This means that you can confidently use the href attribute in your HTML code, knowing that it will work consistently across different browsers. Users can click on the links & navigate to the specified URLs regardless of the browser they are using.
It's worth noting that while the href attribute itself is universally supported, some of the more advanced features or attribute values might have varying levels of support in older browser versions. However, for the most common use cases, such as linking to external websites, internal pages, or specific sections within a page, you can expect consistent behavior across all browsers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use relative URLs in the href attribute?
Yes, you can use relative URLs in the href attribute to link to pages within the same website. Just specify the path relative to the current page or the root directory.
How do I create a link that opens in a new tab or window?
To create a link that opens in a new tab or window, add the target="_blank" attribute to the <a> tag along with the href attribute.
Can I use the href attribute to create links to specific sections within a page?
Yes, you can create links to specific sections within a page using anchor links. Set the href attribute to "#" followed by the ID of the target section.
Conclusion
In this article, we explained the HTML href attribute and its role in creating hyperlinks. We learned about its definition, usage, syntax, and various attribute values. We also saw examples of how to use the href attribute to link to external websites, internal pages, specific sections, email addresses, phone numbers, and downloadable files. With this, you can now create effective and interactive links on your web pages.
518+ registered 
