In HTML, the id
attribute is used to uniquely identify an element within an HTML document. Each id
must be unique within the document, meaning no two elements can have the same id
. This uniqueness allows the id
attribute to be used for various purposes, including CSS styling, JavaScript manipulation, and navigation through fragment identifiers in URLs.
Key Characteristics of id
:
- Uniqueness: Each
id
must be unique within the HTML document. - Case-Sensitive:
id
values are case-sensitive (id="example"
is different fromid="Example"
). - Styling: CSS can use
id
to apply specific styles to an element. - JavaScript: JavaScript can use
id
to select and manipulate specific elements. - Fragment Identifier: The
id
can be used in URLs to navigate to specific parts of a webpage.
1. Styling with CSS:
You can apply styles to a specific element using the id
attribute. In CSS, the id
selector is prefixed with a #
.
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title>ID Example</title> <style> #uniqueHeader { background-color: #4CAF50; color: white; padding: 10px; text-align: center; } </style> </head> <body> <div id="uniqueHeader"> <h1>Welcome to My Website</h1> </div> </body> </html>
In this example, the <div>
element with id="uniqueHeader"
is styled with a green background and white text.
2. Manipulation with JavaScript:
You can use JavaScript to select and manipulate an element by its id
.
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title>ID Example</title> <style> #content { padding: 20px; background-color: #f0f0f0; } </style> </head> <body> <div id="content"> <p>This is some content.</p> <button onclick="changeContent()">Change Content</button> </div> <script> function changeContent() { document.getElementById('content').innerHTML = '<p>Content has been changed!</p>'; } </script> </body> </html>
In this example, when the button is clicked, the JavaScript function changeContent
is executed, which changes the content of the <div>
with id="content"
.
3. Fragment Identifier:
You can use id
as a fragment identifier in URLs to navigate to specific parts of a webpage.
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <title>ID Example</title> </head> <body> <h2 id="section1">Section 1</h2> <p>Content of Section 1.</p> <h2 id="section2">Section 2</h2> <p>Content of Section 2.</p> <a href="#section1">Go to Section 1</a> <a href="#section2">Go to Section 2</a> </body> </html>
In this example, clicking on the links will navigate to the respective sections of the page identified by id="section1"
and id="section2"
.
Conclusion:
The id
attribute is a powerful tool in HTML for uniquely identifying elements, allowing for precise styling, manipulation, and navigation.
By using id
effectively, you can create well-structured and interactive web pages.