RAMAKAYAL COMPUTER EDUCATION

Lesson 4: HTML Attributes: Adding More Meaning to Elements

Written by

Saravana Kumar

in

Objective:

  • Understand the role of HTML attributes in providing additional information about HTML elements.
  • Learn how to use common attributes like class, id, src, alt, href, and style.
  • Discover how attributes help style, link, and add functionality to elements.

Introduction:

HTML attributes provide additional information about HTML elements. They are written in the opening tag and come in the form of a name-value pair (e.g., src="image.jpg"). Attributes allow us to link elements to external resources, define styles, and specify element behavior.

1. Structure of an HTML Attribute:

An attribute is always specified in the opening tag and consists of:

  • Attribute Name: The name of the attribute (e.g., href, src).
  • Attribute Value: The value assigned to the attribute (e.g., a URL, image source, class name).
Syntax:
<element attribute="value">Content</element>

2. Common HTML Attributes:

Here are some of the most commonly used attributes in HTML:

  • href: Specifies the URL of a link.
    • Used with the <a> tag.
<a href="https://www.google.com">Visit Example</a>
  • src: Specifies the source of an image, script, or other media.
    • Used with <img>, <script>, <audio>, etc.
<img src="image.jpg" alt="A sample image" />
  • alt: Provides alternative text for images.
    • Used with the <img> tag to describe the image if it can’t be displayed.
<img src="image.jpg" alt="A beautiful scenery" />
  • id: Assigns a unique identifier to an element.
    • Useful for styling with CSS and accessing elements in JavaScript.
<div id="content">This is a unique content area.</div>
  • class: Assigns a class name to an element.
    • Allows styling multiple elements with the same style.
<p class="highlight">This paragraph is highlighted.</p>
  • style: Allows inline CSS styling.
    • Can apply specific styles to individual elements
<h1 style="color: blue; font-size: 30px;">Styled Heading</h1>
  • target: Specifies where to open the linked document.
    • Used with the <a> tag to control link behavior.
<a href="https://www.google.com" target="_blank">Open in a new tab</a>

3. Attribute Examples and Usage:

  • href in Links:The href attribute in the <a> tag links to an external page or resource.
<a href="https://www.example.com">Click here to visit Example</a>
  • src in Images:The src attribute in the <img> tag tells the browser where to fetch the image file.
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Image description" />
  • id for Unique Elements:The id attribute allows you to uniquely identify an element and reference it in CSS or JavaScript.
<div id="main-container">This is the main container.</div>
  • class for Grouping Elements:The class attribute is used to apply a set of styles or target specific elements in JavaScript.
<div class="card">This is a card element</div>
  • Inline style:The style attribute can be used to add CSS directly to an element.
<p style="color: green;">This text is green.</p>

4. Activity:

  1. Create an HTML page that contains:
    • A link to another webpage using the href attribute.
    • An image with an alt attribute.
    • A class-styled paragraph.
    • An id for a section and apply inline styling with the style attribute.

Example Activity Code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>HTML Attributes Example</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1 id="main-heading" style="color: red;">Welcome to HTML Learning</h1>
    
    <a href="https://www.example.com" target="_blank">Visit Example</a>
    
    <img src="image.jpg" alt="A beautiful image" />
    
    <p class="highlight" style="font-size: 20px;">This paragraph has a class and inline style.</p>

    <div id="content-section">
        <p>This is a section with an ID.</p>
    </div>
</body>
</html>



Summary:

  • HTML attributes provide additional information about elements.
  • Attributes are written in the opening tag as name-value pairs.
  • Common attributes like href, src, alt, id, and class allow us to link resources, add functionality, and style elements.
  • Inline styles can be added directly to elements using the style attribute.

Choice-Based Questions:

  1. What does the href attribute do in the <a> tag?
    • a) Specifies the image source.
    • b) Specifies the URL of a link.
    • c) Defines a class name.
    • d) Adds a style to the element.
    Answer:
    • b) Specifies the URL of a link.
  2. Which attribute is used to provide a description of an image?
    • a) alt
    • b) title
    • c) src
    • d) desc
    Answer:
    • a) alt
  3. What is the purpose of the id attribute in HTML?
    • a) To define the class of an element.
    • b) To apply styles to an element.
    • c) To provide a unique identifier for an element.
    • d) To define the width and height of an element.
    Answer:
    • c) To provide a unique identifier for an element.

Interactive Q&A (Hide/Show Option):

  1. What is an HTML attribute?
    • An HTML attribute provides additional information about an HTML element. It is written inside the opening tag in a name-value pair format.
  2. What is the difference between id and class attributes?
    • The id attribute is used to identify a unique element, whereas the class attribute is used to group multiple elements together for styling or scripting.

Final Notes:

  • Practice Tip: Experiment with different attributes to understand their effects on HTML elements.

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