What is an anchor in web design?

An anchor in web design refers to text or a graphic within a webpage that serves as a hyperlink, allowing users to navigate from one part of a webpage to another or to an entirely different webpage. Anchors are created using the HTML <a> (anchor) tag, which wraps around the clickable content and specifies the destination of the link using the href attribute. When a user clicks on the anchor text or image, their web browser directs them to the specified URL or location on the same page.

Understanding this concept is essential for creating user-friendly web experiences, as well-placed and clearly labeled anchor links improve website navigation, making it easier for visitors to find and interact with the content they are looking for. This distinguishes anchors from other elements like sections of a webpage, style rules in CSS, or image embedding codes, which serve different purposes in web design.