HTML Links

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

Examples

HTML links
This example demonstrates how to create links in an HTML document.

Open a link in a new browser window
This example demonstrates how to link to another page by opening a new window, so that the visitor does not have to leave your Web site.

(You can find more examples at the bottom of this page)

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: 

<a href="url">Link text</a>

The start tag contains attributes about the link.

The element content (Link text) defines the part to be displayed.

Note: The element content don't have to be a 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 W3Schools:

<a href="http://www.w3schools.com/">Visit W3Schools!</a>

The code above will display like this in a browser:

Visit W3Schools!

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:

<a href="http://www.w3schools.com/"
target="_blank">Visit W3Schools!</a>

Try it yourself

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.w3schools.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.w3schools.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.w3schools.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. 

More Examples

An image as a link
This example demonstrates how to use an image as a link.

Link to a location on the same page
This example demonstrates how to use a link to jump to another part of a document.

Break out of a frame
This example demonstrates how to break out of a frame, if your site is locked in a frame.

Create a mailto link
This example demonstrates how to link to a mail message (will only work if you have mail installed).

Create a mailto link 2
This example demonstrates a more complicated mailto link.

Link Tags