Images can improve the design and the appearance of a web page.
HTML Images Syntax
The HTML
The src Attribute
The required src
attribute specifies the path [URL] to the image.
Note: When a web page loads, it is the browser, at that moment, that gets the image from a web server and inserts it into the page. Therefore, make sure that the image
actually stays in the same spot in relation to the web page, otherwise your visitors will get a broken link icon. The broken link icon and the alt
text are shown if the browser cannot find the image.
The alt Attribute
The required alt
attribute provides an alternate text for an image, if the user for some reason cannot view it [because of slow connection, an error in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader].
The value of the alt
attribute
should describe the image:
If a browser cannot find an image, it will display the value of the alt
attribute:
Tip: A screen reader is a software program that reads the HTML code, and allows the user to "listen" to the content. Screen readers are useful for people who are visually impaired or learning disabled.
Image Size - Width and Height
You can use the style
attribute to specify the width and height of an image.
Example
Try it Yourself »
Alternatively, you can use the width
and height
attributes:
Example
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The width
and height
attributes always define the width and height of the image in pixels.
Note: Always specify the width and height of an image. If width and height are not specified, the web page might flicker while the image loads.
Width and Height, or Style?
The width
, height
, and style
attributes are all
valid in HTML.
However, we suggest using the style
attribute. It prevents styles sheets from changing the size of images:
Example
img {
width: 100%;
}
Try it Yourself »
Images in Another Folder
If you have your images in a sub-folder, you must include the folder name in the src
attribute:
Example
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Images on Another Server/Website
Some web sites point to an image on another server.
To point to an image on another server, you must specify an absolute [full] URL in the src
attribute:
Example
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Notes on external images: External images might be under copyright. If you do not get permission to use it, you may be in violation of copyright laws. In addition, you cannot control external images; they can suddenly be removed or changed.
Animated Images
HTML allows animated GIFs:
Example
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Image as a Link
To use an image as a link, put the
Try it Yourself »
Image Floating
Use the CSS float
property to let the image float to the right or to the left of a text:
Example
The image will float to the right of the text.
The image will float to the left of the text.
Try it Yourself »
Common Image Formats
Here are the most common image file types, which are supported in all browsers [Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera]:
APNG | Animated Portable Network Graphics | .apng |
GIF | Graphics Interchange Format | .gif |
ICO | Microsoft Icon | .ico, .cur |
JPEG | Joint Photographic Expert Group image | .jpg, .jpeg, .jfif, .pjpeg, .pjp |
PNG | Portable Network Graphics | .png |
SVG | Scalable Vector Graphics | .svg |
Chapter Summary
- Use the HTML
element to define an image
- Use the HTML
src
attribute to define the URL of the image - Use the HTML
alt
attribute to define an alternate text for an image, if it cannot be displayed - Use the HTML
width
andheight
attributes or the CSSwidth
andheight
properties to define the size of the image - Use the CSS
float
property to let the image float to the left or to the right
Note: Loading large images takes time, and can slow down your web page. Use images carefully.
HTML Exercises
HTML Image Tags
Defines an image | |
Defines an image map | |
Defines a clickable area inside an image map | |
Defines a container for multiple image resources |
For a complete list of all available HTML tags, visit our HTML Tag Reference.