A hyperlink is an element of a web page, in the form of text, image, or button, that when clicked leads to another page or external website. Hyperlinks are used to create interlinking between pages and set up website navigation. Most often, a hyperlink is expressed as a piece of text highlighted in blue. In HTML code, a hyperlink will have the form <a href='URL address'>highlighted text</a>. Depending on the code settings, the user will either open the page in a new window or switch to it with the current page closed. To open in a new window, the blank tag is added to the hyperlink code, and for switching in an open window, the self-tag is used. If no additional settings are specified, the hyperlink will always work as with the self-tag.
Hyperlinks are divided into several types, depending on the tasks they perform and their style.
- Link without an anchor. This is a regular URL address that is inserted onto a page without hiding the text.
- Link with an anchor. This is a classic hyperlink, where the page address is hidden under text highlighted in blue.
- External hyperlink. A link that takes the user beyond the website.
- Internal hyperlink. A link that moves the user within the website.
- Anchor link. It moves the user to another part of the same page they are viewing.