Table of Content
An HTML link is like a virtual bridge that connects one part of a web page to another part, or even to another website altogether. It's like a tiny sign that says, "Click here to go somewhere else."
Links are super important for websites because they:
Creating a link is like giving a special instruction to the web browser. Here's the basic syntax:
<a href="destination-url">Link Text</a>
For example:
This will create a link with the text "Visit Google" that, when clicked, will take users to the Google website.
<a href="https://www.google.com">Visit Google</a>
An anchor tag, also known as a link, is used to create a hyperlink in an HTML document. It has the following basic structure:
<a href="URL">Text</a>
You can add additional attributes to an anchor tag to modify its appearance or behavior. Here are some common attributes:
<a href="https://www.example.com" id="my-link" class="btn btn-primary" title="Visit Example Website">Click Here</a>
In this example, we have added the following attributes:
A hyperlink is a clickable link that takes you to another webpage or document.
There are two main types of hyperlinks:
https://www.example.com/page1.htmlpage1.htmlWhen you click on a hyperlink, your web browser sends a request to the server specified in the hyperlink. The server then sends the requested page or document back to your browser, which displays it on your screen.
In general, it is best to use absolute paths for external links (links to pages on other websites). This ensures that the links will always work, regardless of the location of the current page.
For internal links (links to pages on the same website), you can use either absolute or relative paths. Relative paths are generally preferred because they are shorter and easier to read.
Here is an example of how to create an absolute and a relative hyperlink:
<a href="https://www.example.com/page1.html">Page 1</a>
<a href="page1.html">Page 1</a>
These are like doorways that lead you to websites outside of the one you're currently on. They're usually underlined and blue, and you'll see a little globe icon next to them. When you click on an external link, you'll be taken to a new website.
These are like arrows that point you to other pages within the same website. They help you explore the different parts of the website without having to type in a new address.
These links look like email addresses (like username@example.com). When you click on one, your email program should open up and create a new email addressed to the person you clicked on.
These links let you download files like documents, images, or videos from the website to your computer. They usually have a downward arrow icon next to them. When you click on a downloadable file link, your browser will prompt you to save the file.
Think of CSS classes like special tags that you can add to HTML elements to give them unique styles.
a {
color: blue;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:active {
color: red;
}
a:hover {
font-weight: bold;
}
a:visited {
color: purple;
}
This code defines four CSS classes:
<head> section:
<link rel="stylesheet" href="link-styles.css">
<a href="example.html">My Link</a>
This will give the link the default blue text style. To change the style for different states, add the appropriate class:
<a href="example.html" class="active">My Link</a>
This will make the link red when clicked.
Imagine you're creating a website and want to link to another website. You could do this with a link like:
<a href="https://www.example.com">Example Website</a>
This is called "hardcoding" the URL because the address of the website is written directly into the HTML code. This is not a good practice because:
Link text is the visible text that users click on to follow a link. It should accurately describe the destination of the link. For example, the link text "Example Website" in the example above is a good choice.
However, it's important not to overuse link text. For example, if you have a sentence like:
Click here to go to the Example Website.
The link text "Click here" is not very descriptive. It doesn't tell the user what they're going to find on the other side of the link. Instead, you should use more specific link text, like:
Visit our website for more information.
This link text is more helpful to users because it tells them what they can expect to find on the other side of the link.
To make your website more readable, you should:
By following these tips, you can create a website that is easy to read and navigate for all users.
Imagine you're at the park and want to tell your friend to meet you at the "Big Slide." You don't need to give them the exact address, just say "Big Slide" because they know where to find it. That's like a relative link on a website. It assumes your visitors know where to find the linked page, relative to the current page they're on.
Think of it like a home base for your links. The website has a "base" page, and any links on that page automatically assume they start from that base. So, if you have a link to "contact-us.html," it will always take you to "website.com/contact-us.html," even if you're currently on another page on the website.
These are special links that don't lead to a new page but instead jump to a specific part of the current page. It's like having anchors at different points on a website. You can use a fragment identifier to link to a specific heading, image, or form. They're often used with the "# symbol":
<a href="#heading-1">Go to Heading 1</a>
When you add rel="nofollow" to a link, it tells search engines not to follow it. This means they won't pass on any of your website's authority (importance) to the linked page. It's often used for links to external websites or sponsored content to prevent search engines from considering them as endorsements.