Links

Links are what make the web a web. One element does all of it: <a> (for "anchor") with its href attribute.

The anatomy

• href — the destination URL
• The content between the tags — what the visitor clicks

Writing good link text

Screen-reader users often jump from link to link, hearing only the link text. Compare:

<a href="/trails/python">Click here</a>              😕 here? where?
<a href="/trails/python">Start the Python trail</a>  😊 clear anywhere

Link text should describe the destination. "Click here" and "read more" are the "untitled_final_v2.doc" of the web.

Three kinds of destinations

That third form pairs href="#some-id" with an element carrying id="some-id" — exactly how the table of contents on these lesson pages works.

What's next

Pictures! The img element, and why its alt text is non-negotiable.