alt vs title
Written byPhuoc Nguyen
Created
24 May, 2020
Last updated
25 Aug, 2020
Category
HTML
#Differences
-
The
`alt`
attribute is the alternate text to serve as the content of element when the element isn't rendered normally.`<img>`
is the most popular tag using the`alt`
attribute.When an image can't be loaded, the browser will display the`alt`
text in its place so the user can get an idea of why the image was included. -
The
`title`
attribute is the tooltip text seen when hovering over the element.
#Good practice
Always use the
`alt`
attribute for `<img>`
tags.Google and other search engines can't read the image but they can see the
`alt`
text. Setting the `alt`
attribute is a good practice for SEO (search engine optimization).You usually won't set the
`title`
attribute for `<img>`
unless it really provides more information about the image. But it could be argued that if you have to explain your image with title text, maybe there's a better image to use.#Tips
Here's two options for making sure you always include the
`alt`
attribute on the `img`
tag.-
Use CSS to give a red outline to any
`img`
having a missing or blank`alt`
attribute:cssimg:not([alt]),img[alt=''] {outline: 8px solid red;} -
If you are using Visual Studio Code, you can install the webhint extension.It will automatically detect the issue and show the details when you hover on the element.
Questions? 🙋
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Phước Nguyễn