What is img tag used for?

Have you ever wondered how those vibrant pictures and graphics magically appear on your favorite websites? The unsung hero behind virtually every image you see online is a simple yet incredibly powerful piece of HTML code: the img tag. At its core, the img tag is used to embed an image into an HTML page, turning plain text into a rich, visual experience. Without it, the internet would be a far less engaging and much more monochrome place.

The magic of the img tag largely lies in two essential attributes: `src` and `alt`. The `src` attribute, short for "source," is where you tell the browser exactly *where* to find the image file. This is usually a web address (URL) pointing to the image, or a path to an image file stored on the same server as the webpage. Think of it as giving the browser a set of directions to pick up the picture. Equally important, and often overlooked, is the `alt` attribute, which stands for "alternative text." This provides a textual description of the image. Its primary purpose is accessibility, allowing screen readers for visually impaired users to describe the image content. It also displays if the image fails to load (perhaps due to a broken link or slow internet), and helps search engines understand what the image is about, which can improve search rankings.

While `src` and `alt` are mandatory for good practice, the img tag can also include other attributes to control aspects like `width` and `height` to define the image's dimensions, though modern web design often prefers using CSS for styling. Ultimately, the img tag is a fundamental building block of the web, responsible for bringing visual life to content, communicating complex ideas with a single glance, and enhancing user engagement across countless websites. It supports various image formats like JPGs for photographs, PNGs for images with transparency, and GIFs for short animations, making it versatile for almost any visual need.

Related Keywords: HTML image element, Web accessibility