HTMLAnchorElement

The HTMLAnchorElement interface represents hyperlink elements and provides special properties and methods (beyond those of the regular HTMLElement object interface that they inherit from) for manipulating the layout and presentation of such elements.

Properties

Inherits properties from its parent, HTMLElement, and implements those from HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.

HTMLAnchorElement.accessKey
Is a DOMString representing a single character that switches input focus to the hyperlink.
HTMLAnchorElement.charset
Is a DOMString representing the character encoding of the linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.coords
Is a DOMString representing a comma-separated list of coordinates.
HTMLAnchorElement.download
Is a DOMString indicating that the linked resource is intended to be downloaded rather than displayed in the browser. The value represent the proposed name of the file. If the name is not a valid filename of the underlying OS, browser will adapt it. The value is a URL with a scheme like http:, file:, data: or even blob: (created with URL.createObjectURL).
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.hash
Is a USVString representing the fragment identifier, including the leading hash mark ('#'), if any, in the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.host
Is a USVString representing the hostname and port (if it's not the default port) in the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.hostname
Is a USVString representing the hostname in the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.href
Is a USVString that reflects the href HTML attribute, containing a valid URL of a linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.hreflang
Is a DOMString that reflects the hreflang HTML attribute, indicating the language of the linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.media
Is a DOMString that reflects the media HTML attribute, indicating the intended media for the linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.name
Is a DOMString representing the anchor name.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.password
Is a USVString containing the password specified before the domain name.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.origin Read only
Returns a USVString containing the origin of the URL, that is its scheme, its domain and its port.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.pathname
Is a USVString representing the path name component, if any, of the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.port
Is a USVString representing the port component, if any, of the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.protocol
Is a USVString representing the protocol component, including trailing colon (':'), of the referenced URL.
HTMLAnchorElement.referrerPolicy
Is a DOMString that reflects the referrerpolicy HTML attribute indicating which referrer to use.
HTMLAnchorElement.rel
Is a DOMString that reflects the rel HTML attribute, specifying the relationship of the target object to the linked object.
HTMLAnchorElement.relList Read only
Returns a DOMTokenList that reflects the rel HTML attribute, as a list of tokens.
HTMLAnchorElement.rev
Is a DOMString representing that the rev HTML attribute, specifying the relationship of the link object to the target object.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.search
Is a USVString representing tThe search element, including leading question mark ('?'), if any, of the referenced URL.
HTMLAnchorElement.shape
Is a DOMString representing the shape of the active area.
HTMLAnchorElement.tabindex
Is a long containing the position of the element in the tabbing navigation order for the current document.
HTMLAnchorElement.target
Is a DOMString that reflects the target HTML attribute, indicating where to display the linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.text
Is a DOMString being a synonym for the Node.textContent property.
HTMLAnchorElement.type
Is a DOMString that reflects the type HTML attribute, indicating the MIME type of the linked resource.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.username
Is a USVString containing the username specified before the domain name.

Methods

Inherits methods from its parent, HTMLElement, and implements those from HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.

HTMLElement.blur()
Removes the  keyboard focus from the current element.
HTMLElement.focus()
Gives the keyboard focus to the current element.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.toString()
Returns a USVString containing the whole URL. It is a synonym for URLUtils.href, though it can't be used to modify the value.

The blur() and focus() methods are inherited from HTMLElement from HTML5 on, but were defined on HTMLAnchorElement in DOM Level 2 HTML and earlier specifications.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
Referrer Policy
The definition of 'referrer attribute' in that specification.
Working Draft Added the referrer property.
WHATWG HTML Living Standard
The definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.
Living Standard The following property has been added: download.
Technically, the URL-related properties, media, host, hostname, pathname, port, protocol, search, and hash, have been moved to the URLUtils interface, and HTMLAreaElement implements this interface.
HTML5
The definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.
Recommendation The methods blur() and focus(), as well as the properties tabindex and accessKey, are now defined on HTMLElement.
The following properties are now obsolete: charset, coords, name, rev, and shape.
The following properties have been added: hash, host, hostname, media, pathname, port, protocol, relList, search, and text.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification
The definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.
Recommendation No change from Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification
The definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Edge Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
Basic support (Yes) (Yes) 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
download 14 (Yes) 20 ? 15 ?
username, password, and origin No support ? 26.0 (26.0) ? ? ?
referrerPolicy 51 ? 50 (50) No support No support No support
Feature Android Webview Chrome for Android Edge Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) 1.0 (1.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
download 14 14 (Yes) ? ? ? ?
username, password, and origin No support No support ? 26.0 (26.0) ? ? ?
referrerPolicy 51 51 ? 50.0 (50) No support No support No support

See also

  • The HTML element implementing this interface: <a>

Document Tags and Contributors

 Last updated by: Sheppy,