Overview: Hyperlinks: Key Concepts

Overview:

Hyperlinks: Key Concepts
by Agatha Taormina

Table of Contents
Overview
Types
Format
The Anchor Tag
Style

Overview	The prefix hyper comes from the Greek meaning above or beyond. When the browser cursor passes over a hyperlink, the cursor turns into a little hand. When visitors click on the hyperlinked text they are sent to another location.
Types	There are several different types of hyperlinks; each sends the visitor to a different type of location. You can create a link to: a page on another web site (an absolute link) another page on your own web site (a relative link) a Send Message box in an email messaging program (an email link) a specified position somewhere else on the open page (called variously a target, a bookmark or an internal link) a specified position on another page in your own web site (a targeted relative link)
Format	By default, a hyperlink appears in a web page as underlined and colored text. Blue is the default color for a hyperlink. Purple is the default color for a visited hyperlink, that is, a hyperlink to a site which you have already visited. Red is the default color for an active hyperlink; the color appears briefly while the user is actually clicking on the text. You can change these default colors to match the color scheme of your site.
The Anchor Tag	In a hyperlink, the hyperlinked text on your web page can be said to be anchored to another place, i.e., the destination to which the hyperlink leads. Thus, the HTML to create a hyperlink starts with the anchor tags, i.e., <A>[clickable text]</A> In the sample HTML code above, [clickable text] stands for the text or the image that you wish to turn into a hyperlink.
Style	When you add hyperlinks to your pages, embed them in your text instead of typing the URL on the page. Proper : Visit my home page. Improper: Visit my home page at http://www.nvcc.edu/home/ataormina Above all, avoid the phrase "Click here!"