Home > Abakada: Back to Basics > Language References > HTML Elements > A Element

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Defines the destination of a hypertext link.

HTML 2, 3.2, 4, 4.01, 5

HTML Syntax

<a
   download = filename
   href = url
   hreflang = language_code
   ping = url_list
   referrerpolicy = no-referrer | no-referrer-when-downgrade | origin | origin-when-cross-origin | 
      same-origin | strict-origin-when-cross-origin | unsafe-url
   rel = alternate | author | bookmark | external | help | license | next | nofollow | noreferrer | 
      noopener | prev | search | tag
   target = _blank | _parent | _self | _top | window_name
   type = media_type
>

NOTE: Both start and end tags are required.

The A element is commonly used to:

• link to another hypertext document, or
• link to a specific location within the same, or another, hypertext document

The A element requires either the:

• href attribute when used as a hypertext link, to specify the link’s destination URI.
• id attribute when used as an anchor, to identify the anchor’s location within a document.

Both text and images can be included within an <a> element used as a hyperlink.

The <a> element is not restricted to HTTP-based URLs. It can also use the following URL schemes supported by most browsers.

• Telephone numbers with tel: URLs
• Email addresses with mailto: URLs
• SMS text messages with sms: URLs
• Executable code with javascript: URLs

Browsers typically render textual hyperlinks with a different color and an underline, though authors may use CSS styles to override this default behavior.

The <a> element supports the following attributes, in addition to global attributes common to all HTML elements.

Attribute	Value	Description
download	filename	Causes the browser to treat the linked URL as a download.
href	URL	Specifies the URL that the hyperlink points to.
hreflang	language_code	Specifies the language of the linked document.
media	media_query	Specifies what media/device the linked document is optimized for
ping	url_list	Specifies a space-separated list of URLs, typically used for tracking.
referrerpolicy	no-referrer, no-referrer-when-downgrade, origin, origin-when-cross-origin, same-origin, strict-origin-when-cross-origin, unsafe-url	Specifies which referrer information to send with the link.
rel	alternate, author, bookmark, external, help, license, next, nofollow, noreferrer, noopener, prev, search, tag	Specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked document.
target	_blank, _parent, _self, _top	Specifies where to open the linked document.
type	media_type	Specifies the media type of the linked document

Following are several examples of using the <a> element.

Linking to an absolute path:

<a href="https://asp.net.ph">Home</a>

Specifying a named location that can be used as the destination of other links:

<h3><a id="atts">Attributes</a></h3>

Linking to a location within the same document:

<a href="#atts">Attributes</a>

Specifying the target window or frame to load the linked resource:

<a href="somewhere.com" target="travel">Destinations</a>

Using an image as a hyperlink:

<a href="somewhere.com"><img src="home.png"></a>

Calling a JavaScript function compliant with the ECMA-262 language specification ( ex. opens a new window ):

<a href="javascript:window.open ( )">Show me</a>

External References

• 4.5.1 The a element

LINK   Anchors and Links