HTML target Attribute
Description
The HTML target attribute is an attribute used in anchor (<a>), area (<area>), and form (<form>) elements to specify where the linked document, or the output of a form submission, will be displayed or processed. When used, it influences the browsing context in which a document will be presented. Essentially, it can control whether a new window or tab is opened for the result, or whether the result will be displayed in the current or a specific frame within the web page. The value assigned to this attribute determines the name of the browsing context which will be used. There are predefined keyword values that can direct the browser in specific ways, but custom names for frames or windows can also be used to achieve more tailored behaviors. The use of this attribute enhances user navigation on a website by controlling how new information is presented to them, whether within the same window, in a new tab, or even in an iframe, depending on the setup of the web page's structure and the goals of the web designer.
Syntax
<tagname target="_self | _blank | _parent | _top | framename" />Values
- _selfOpens the document in the same frame or window as the link that was clicked. This is the default behavior if the
targetattribute is not specified. - _blankOpens the document in a new window or tab. This is commonly used for external links to ensure the user does not navigate away from the original page.
- _parentOpens the document in the parent frame of the frame where the link is placed. If there's no parent, this option behaves the same as
_self. - _topOpens the document in the full body of the window, breaking out of any framesets. It ensures the linked document takes over the entire window.
- framenameIf you have named frames or iframes on your page, you can use the
targetattribute to specify that a link should open in a particular frame by naming it.
Applies To
The target attribute can be used on the following html elements.
Example
<a href="https://www.google.com" target="_blank">Click here to Google in a new tab.</a>Browser Support
The following table will show you the current browser support for the HTML target Attribute.
| Desktop | |||||
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| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tablets / Mobile | |||||
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| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Last updated by CSSPortal on: 29th March 2024