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HTML Links – Hyperlinks

HTML links are hyperlinks.

You can click on a link and jump to another document.

When you move the mouse over a link, the mouse arrow will turn into a little hand.

HTML Links – Syntax

The HTML <a> tag defines a hyperlink. It has the following syntax:

<a href=”url“>link text</a>

The most important attribute of the <a> element is the href attribute, which indicates the link’s destination.

The link text is the part that will be visible to the reader.

Clicking on the link text, will send the reader to the specified URL address.

Example

This example shows how to create a link to AnkHub.in :

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h1>HTML Links</h1>

<p><a href=”https://www.Ankhub.in/”>Visit Ankhubtech.in!</a></p>

</body>
</html>

By default, links will appear as follows in all browsers:

  • An unvisited link is underlined and blue
  • A visited link is underlined and purple
  • An active link is underlined and red

HTML Links – The target Attribute

By default, the linked page will be displayed in the current browser window. To change this, you must specify another target for the link.

The target attribute specifies where to open the linked document.

The target attribute can have one of the following values:

  • _self – Default. Opens the document in the same window/tab as it was clicked
  • _blank – Opens the document in a new window or tab
  • _parent – Opens the document in the parent frame
  • _top – Opens the document in the full body of the window

Example

Use target=”_blank” to open the linked document in a new browser window or tab:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>The target Attribute</h2>

<a href=”https://Ankhubtech.in/” target=”_blank”>Visit AnkHub!</a>

<p>If target=”_blank”, the link will open in a new browser window or tab.</p>

</body>
</html>

Absolute URLs vs. Relative URLs

Both examples above are using an absolute URL (a full web address) in the href attribute.

A local link (a link to a page within the same website) is specified with a relative URL (without the “https://www” part):

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>Absolute URLs</h2>
<p><a href=”https://www.w3.org/”>W3C</a></p>
<p><a href=”https://www.google.com/”>Google</a></p>

<h2>Relative URLs</h2>
<p><a href=”html_images.asp”>HTML Images</a></p>
<p><a href=”/css/default.asp”>CSS Tutorial</a></p>

</body>
</html>

HTML Links – Use an Image as a Link

To use an image as a link, just put the <img> tag inside the <a> tag:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>Image as a Link</h2>

<p>The image below is a link. Try to click on it.</p>

<a href=”default.asp”><img src=”smiley.gif” alt=”HTML tutorial” style=”width:42px;height:42px;”></a>

</body>
</html>

Link to an Email Address

Use mailto: inside the href attribute to create a link that opens the user’s email program (to let them send a new email):

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>Link to an Email Address</h2>

<p>To create a link that opens in the user’s email program (to let them send a new email), use mailto: inside the href attribute:</p>

<p><a href=”mailto:someone@example.com”>Send email</a></p>

</body>
</html>

Button as a Link

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

JavaScript allows you to specify what happens at certain events, such as a click of a button:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>Button as a Links</h2>

<p>Click the button to go to the HTML tutorial.</p>

<button onclick=”document.location=’default.asp'”>HTML Tutorial</button>

</body>
</html>

Link Titles

The title attribute specifies extra information about an element. The information is most often shown as a tooltip text when the mouse moves over the element.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang=”en-US”>
<body>

<h2>Link Titles</h2>
<p>The title attribute specifies extra information about an element. The information is most often shown as a tooltip text when the mouse moves over the element.</p>
<a href=”https://www.AnkhubTech.in/html/” title=”Go to Ankhub.tech HTML section”>Visit our HTML Tutorial</a>

</body>
</html>

More on Absolute URLs and Relative URLs

Example

Use a full URL to link to a web page: 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>External Paths</h2>

<p>This example uses a full URL to link to a web page:</p>
<p><a href=”https://www.AnkhubTech.in /html/default.asp”>HTML tutorial</a></p>

</body>
</html>

Example

Link to a page located in the html folder on the current web site: 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>External Paths</h2>

<p>This example links to a page located in the html folder on the current web site:</p>

<p><a href=”/html/default.asp”>HTML tutorial</a></p>

</body>
</html>

Example

Link to a page located in the same folder as the current page: 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>

<h2>External Paths</h2>

<p>This example links to a page located in the same folder as the current page:</p>

<p><a href=”default.asp”>HTML tutorial</a></p>

</body>
</html>

Chapter Summary

  • Use the <a> element to define a link
  • Use the href attribute to define the link address
  • Use the target attribute to define where to open the linked document
  • Use the <img> element (inside <a>) to use an image as a link
  • Use the mailto: scheme inside the href attribute to create a link that opens the user’s email program

HTML Link Tags

Tag Description

<a> Defines a hyperlink

HTML Exercises

Test Yourself With Exercises

Exercise:

Use the correct HTML to make the text below into a link to “default.html”.

 >Visit our HTML tutorial. 

Submit Answer >>


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