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HTML <a> href Attribute

HTML a Tag Reference HTML <a> tag

Example

The href attribute specifies the link's destination:

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

Try it yourself »

Browser Support

Internet Explorer Firefox Opera Google Chrome Safari

The href attribute is supported in all major browsers.


Definition and Usage

The href attribute specifies the URL of the page the link goes to.

If the href attribute is not present, the <a> tag is not a hyperlink.


Differences Between HTML 4.01 and HTML5

In HTML5, if the <a> tag has no href attribute, it is a placeholder for a hyperlink.


Syntax

<a href="URL">

Attribute Values

Value Description
URL The URL of the link.

Possible values:

  • An absolute URL - points to another web site (like href="http://www.example.com/default.htm")
  • A relative URL - points to a file within a web site (like href="default.htm")
  • An anchor URL - points to an anchor within a page (like href="#top")


Examples

Try it Yourself - Examples

Using an anchor URL
How to use an anchor URL with an id attribute (the name attribute is not supported in HTML5).


HTML a Tag Reference HTML <a> tag

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