Difference between SRC and HREF

user_384231 0
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The SRC and HREF attributes are used to include some external entities like an image, a CSS file, a HTML file, any other web page or a JavaScript file.

Is there a clear differentiation between SRC and HREF? Where or when to use SRC or HREF? I think they can't be used interchangeably.

I'm giving below few examples where these attributes are used:

  • To refer a CSS file: href="cssfile.css" inside the link tag.
  • To refer a JS file: src="myscript.js" inside the script tag.
  • To refer an image file: src="mypic.jpg" inside an image tag.
  • To refer another webpage: href="http://www.webpage.com" inside an anchor tag.
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15 Answers

Simple Definition

SRC : (Source). To specify the origin of (a communication); document:     

HREF : (Hypertext Reference). A reference or link to another page, document...
user_2450300

I agree what apnerve says on the distinction. But in case of css it looks odd. As css also gets downloaded to client by browser. It is not like anchor tag which points to any specific resource. So using href there seems odd to me. Even if its not loaded with the page still without that page cannot look complete and so its not just relationship but like resource which in turn refers to many other resource like images.

user_3445350
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