What is a Link (Internet)?

S0-SA4-1029

Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

An Internet link, often called a hyperlink, is like a clickable bridge that takes you from one page or place on the internet to another. It's a special word, phrase, or image on a webpage that, when clicked, opens a new webpage, a document, or even starts an action like downloading a file.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you are reading a news article about a cricket match on your phone. If you see a blue, underlined word like 'Virat Kohli's century' and you click on it, it might take you to a new page with details about that specific innings. That blue, underlined text is a link.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's see how a link works on a school website:
1. You open your school's website on your computer or phone.
2. On the main page, you see a menu with options like 'About Us', 'Academics', 'Admissions', and 'Contact Us'.
3. The word 'Admissions' is usually shown in a different colour (like blue) and is underlined, telling you it's a link.
4. You want to know about admissions, so you move your mouse pointer over 'Admissions' (it might change to a hand icon).
5. You click on 'Admissions'.
6. Immediately, a new page opens up, showing all the details about how to get admission to the school, like forms, dates, and fees.
ANSWER: Clicking the 'Admissions' link took you directly to the admissions page.

Why It Matters

Links are super important because they connect all the information on the internet, making it easy to find things quickly. Understanding links helps you navigate websites, find study material, and even build your own websites in careers like web development or digital marketing.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Thinking all coloured or underlined text is a link. | CORRECTION: Only text that changes your cursor to a hand icon (on a computer) or responds to a tap (on a phone) is a link. Sometimes, text is just styled differently for emphasis.

MISTAKE: Confusing a link with a search bar. | CORRECTION: A search bar is where you type what you are looking for. A link is something you click to go directly to a specific, pre-determined place.

MISTAKE: Believing links only go to other websites. | CORRECTION: Links can also take you to different sections within the same webpage, open a PDF document, or even start an email draft.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: If you click on a link that says 'Download Syllabus', what will most likely happen? | ANSWER: A file containing the syllabus will start downloading to your device.

QUESTION: Your friend sends you a message with a blue, underlined address: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example'. What is this, and what happens if you click it? | ANSWER: This is a link (specifically, a URL). If you click it, it will open that specific YouTube video in your browser.

QUESTION: You are on a shopping website looking for a new mobile phone. You see the phone's name, its price, and a button that says 'Add to Cart'. Which of these is most likely a link, and what would it do? | ANSWER: The phone's name (if clickable) would be a link taking you to its detailed product page. The 'Add to Cart' button is usually an action button, not typically called a link in the same way, but it performs an action like adding the item to your shopping cart.

MCQ

Quick Quiz

What is the main purpose of a link on the Internet?

To change the colour of text on a page

To help you move from one internet location to another

To make text bold and big

To type your search queries

The Correct Answer Is:

A link's primary function is to navigate or transport you across different webpages, documents, or sections on the internet. Options A and C describe formatting, and D describes a search bar.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you use apps like Zomato to order food or book train tickets on IRCTC, you're constantly using links! For example, when you click on a restaurant's name on Zomato, it takes you to its menu page. Or when you click on a specific train number on IRCTC, it shows you its route and seat availability. These are all examples of links guiding your journey online.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

HYPERLINK: Another name for an internet link | NAVIGATION: The act of moving around websites or apps | URL: The unique address of a webpage, often part of a link | CLICKABLE: Something that responds when you press on it with a mouse or finger

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand what a link is, you can learn about 'URLs (Uniform Resource Locators)'. URLs are the actual addresses that links use to know where to take you, like the address on a letter tells the postman where to deliver it.