What is the purpose of the 'href' attribute in HTML?
Theme: HTML Role: Front End Developer Function: Technology
Interview Question for Front-End Developer: See sample answers, motivations & red flags for this common interview question. About Front-End Developer: Creates the user interface and user experience of websites and applications. This role falls within the Technology function of a firm. See other interview questions & further information for this role here
Sample Answer
Example response for question delving into HTML with the key points that need to be covered in an effective response. Customize this to your own experience with concrete examples and evidence
- Definition: The href attribute in HTML is used to specify the URL or the location of a resource that the link should navigate to
- Linking to External Resources: The href attribute is commonly used to link to external resources such as web pages, images, stylesheets, scripts, or other files
- Linking to Internal Anchors: The href attribute can also be used to create internal links within a web page by specifying the ID or name of an anchor element
- Linking to Email Addresses: The href attribute can be used to create email links by specifying the email address as the URL, prefixed with 'mailto:'
- Linking to Phone Numbers: The href attribute can be used to create phone links by specifying the phone number as the URL, prefixed with 'tel:'
- Linking to File Downloads: The href attribute can be used to link to downloadable files by specifying the file path or URL as the value
- Targeting a New Window or Tab: The href attribute can be combined with the target attribute to open the linked resource in a new window or tab
- Linking to Sections within the Same Page: The href attribute can be used to create anchor links within the same page by specifying the ID or name of the target section preceded by '#'. This allows users to navigate to different sections of a long webpage
- Linking to External Websites: The href attribute is commonly used to link to external websites by specifying the complete URL of the target website
- Linking to Fragments: The href attribute can be used to link to specific sections or fragments within a web page by specifying the ID or name of the target element preceded by '#'. This allows users to jump directly to a specific part of a webpage
Underlying Motivations
What the Interviewer is trying to find out about you and your experiences through this question
- Technical knowledge: Assessing the candidate's understanding of HTML and its attributes
- Problem-solving skills: Evaluating the candidate's ability to identify and explain the purpose of HTML attributes
- Attention to detail: Checking if the candidate pays attention to the specific attributes used in HTML
Potential Minefields
How to avoid some common minefields when answering this question in order to not raise any red flags
- Lack of understanding: If the candidate is unable to explain the purpose of the href attribute or provides an incorrect explanation, it indicates a lack of understanding of HTML basics
- Vague or incomplete answer: If the candidate provides a vague or incomplete answer, it suggests a lack of knowledge or inability to articulate their thoughts clearly
- Inability to provide examples: If the candidate is unable to provide examples of how the href attribute is used in HTML, it indicates a lack of practical experience or familiarity with HTML coding
- Confusion with other attributes: If the candidate confuses the href attribute with other attributes, such as src or alt, it suggests a lack of attention to detail or confusion between different HTML elements
- Inability to explain the impact: If the candidate cannot explain the impact of the href attribute on website functionality or user experience, it indicates a limited understanding of front-end development principles