<a>
Inline markup
A link to somewhere else; without href it is a placeholder rather than a link.
| How to write it | <a></a> |
|---|---|
| Closing tag | </a> |
| Void element | No — it must be closed |
| Common attributes | href, target, rel |
| Category | Inline markup |
How to read this
- Most tags come in pairs, opening and closing. Only tags with no content — img, br — are left unclosed.
- Writing </br> for a void element does nothing useful; the browser ignores it or adds an empty line.
- Appearance is CSS’s job. A tag says what something is; bold or italic is only the consequence.
- Choosing the tag that matches the meaning helps search engines and screen readers alike. Wrapping everything in div throws that information away.
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is the HTML <a> tag?
A link to somewhere else; without href it is a placeholder rather than a link.
Q. How do you write <a>?
As <a></a>. The opening <a> pairs with the closing </a>.
Q. Which attributes are common on <a>?
href, target, rel are the usual ones.
Q. What group does <a> belong to?
The inline markup group.