HTML Links

A link is the "address" to a document (or a resource) on the web.

Hyperlinks, Anchors, and Links

In web terms, a hyperlink is a reference (an address) to a resource on the web.

Hyperlinks can point to any resource on the web: an HTML page, an image, a sound file, a movie, etc.

An anchor is a term used to define a hyperlink destination inside a document.

The HTML anchor element <a>, is used to define both hyperlinks and anchors.

We will use the term HTML link when the <a> element points to a resource, and the term HTML anchor when the <a> elements defines an address inside a document..

An HTML Link

Link syntax:

The start tag contains attributes about the link.
The element content (Link text) defines the part to be displayed.
Note: The element content doesn't have to be text. You can link from an image or any other HTML element.

The href Attribute

The href attribute defines the link "address".
This <a> element defines a link to CHILLAPPLE tutorials:
<a href="http://www.chillapple.blogspot.com/">Visit CHILLAPPLE!</a>

Visit CHILLAPPLE!

The target Attribute

The target attribute defines where the linked document will be opened.
The code below will open the document in a new browser window:

Example

<a href="http://www.chillapple.blogspot.com/"
target="_blank">Visit CHILLAPPLE!</a>

The name Attribute

When the name attribute is used, the <a> element defines a named anchor inside a HTML document.
Named anchor are not displayed in any special way. They are invisible to the reader.
Named anchor syntax:

<a name="label">Any content</a>

The link syntax to a named anchor:

<a href="#label">Any content</a>

The # in the href attribute defines a link to a named anchor.

Example:

A named anchor inside an HTML document:

<a name="tips">Useful Tips Section</a>

A link to the Useful Tips Section from the same document:

<a href="#tips">
Jump to the Useful Tips Section</a>

A link to the Useful Tips Section from another document:

<a href="http://www.chillapple.blogspot.com/html_tutorial.htm#tips">
Jump to the Useful Tips Section</a>

Basic Notes - Useful Tips

Always add a trailing slash to subfolder references. If you link like this:

href="http://www.chillapple.blogspot.com/html", you will generate two HTTP requests to the server, because the server will add a slash to the address and create a new request like this: href="http://www.chillapple.blogspot.com/html/"

Named anchors are often used to create "table of contents" at the beginning of a large document. Each chapter within the document is given a named anchor, and links to each of these anchors are put at the top of the document.

If a browser cannot find a named anchor that has been specified, it goes to the top of the document. No error occurs.