You might see <a> Element reference while reading someone else’s HTML, or need it while building a page of your own. Instead of memorizing a definition, look at a working example and see when the element makes sense.
The Idea in Plain English
Creates a hyperlink when it has an href. Its contents should describe the destination, and it must not contain nested interactive controls.
For a reference page, pay attention to where the element is allowed, whether it needs a closing tag, and what other elements it can contain.
A Working Example
Read the sample once before copying it. Notice the element names and attribute values, then compare them with the explanation below.
<a href="/lessons/index.html">Browse all lessons</a>What Each Part Does
- The anchor is a link when its href points to a destination.
- href is the URL or fragment destination of a link.
The text is a keyboard-focusable link to the lessons page.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Using href="#" for an action that should be a button.
- Changing several parts of the example at once, making it difficult to see which part caused a different result.
- Choosing a tag only because its default appearance looks right, without checking whether it describes the content correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Creates a hyperlink when it has an href. Its contents should describe the destination, and it must not contain nested interactive controls.
- The text is a keyboard-focusable link to the lessons page.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.