Understanding HTML Attributes

HTML attributes allow you to add extra information to HTML elements. They control behavior, appearance, and provide data for the browser.

What Is an HTML Attribute?

An HTML attribute is a key-value pair added inside the opening tag of an element. For example, a hyperlink uses the "href" attribute to specify the target URL.

Attribute Syntax

Attributes are always placed inside the opening tag of an element, like this: <tagname attribute="value">. Multiple attributes can be added, separated by spaces.

Common Attributes

The following is a list of the most common attributes used with HTML elements.

• href – Specifies the target URL of a link.
• src – Specifies the source of an image or media file.
• alt – Provides alternative text for images, shown if the image cannot be loaded.
• title – Adds extra description to an element, often shown as a tooltip.
• class – Assigns a CSS class to the element, enabling styling.
• id – Assigns a unique identifier to the element, usable from JavaScript or CSS.

Using Attributes in Examples

Let’s look at a few examples of how attributes are added to elements.

<a href="https://www.example.com">Visit Example</a>

<img src="image.jpg" alt="An image">

Why Are Attributes Important?

Without attributes, HTML elements would be very limited in behavior. Attributes connect content to CSS and JavaScript logic.

Tips and Common Mistakes

Always use quotation marks around attribute values, avoid typos in attribute names, and ensure the attributes are valid for the specific HTML element.