You might see <map> 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
Groups interactive hotspots for an image, connected through matching map name and image usemap values.
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.
<img src="museum.png" usemap="#exhibits" alt="Museum floor plan" width="600" height="350">
<map name="exhibits">
<area shape="rect" coords="20,20,200,180" href="/dinosaurs" alt="Dinosaur hall">
</map>What Each Part Does
- The map groups clickable image regions.
- The img displays an image and uses alt for its text alternative.
- The area defines a hotspot link in an image map.
- src points to the asset the browser should load.
- alt supplies replacement text for an informative image or empty text for a decorative one.
- width reserves the image or embedded resource’s intended horizontal dimension.
A defined region on the image becomes a link.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Forgetting alt text on hotspots or how image scaling affects coordinates.
- 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
- Groups interactive hotspots for an image, connected through matching map name and image usemap values.
- A defined region on the image becomes a link.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.