HTML <base> Tag

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Description

The <base> HTML element defines the starting point for all relative URLs in an HTML document. It is placed within the <head> section and affects links, images, scripts, and forms throughout the page. Essentially, it tells the browser: “use this URL as the reference for anything that doesn’t have an absolute path.”

By using <base>, developers can simplify URL management. For example, when moving a website to a new domain or reorganizing file structures, relative links automatically adapt without needing to update each individual link. It also ensures that resources referenced relatively behave consistently across the page, preventing broken links or unexpected navigation.

The <base> tag is particularly useful for:

Centralizing the reference point for multiple relative links.
Controlling the default behavior of links and form submissions.
Avoiding errors when copying or restructuring pages across directories or domains.

It’s important to note that <base> can only appear once in a document, and it must be in the <head> section. Its effects are global for the page, so placing it incorrectly or using multiple <base> tags can lead to unexpected behavior.

Properties

Permitted Parents: Any <head> that doesn't contain any other <base> element
Content: None. It is an empty element.
Start/End Tags: Start tag: required, End tag: forbidden

Example

HTML

<head>

    <base href="https://www.cssportal.com/images/">

    <base target="_blank">

</head>



<body>

    <img src="arrow.gif">

    <a href="https://www.cssportal.com">CSSPortal</a>

</body>

Attributes

href

Specifies a base URL for all relative URLs on a page.

target

Specifies the target frame to load the page into.
Possible Values:

_blank
_parent
_self
_top

Global Attributes

The <base> tag also supports the Global Attributes in HTML5

Event Attributes

None

Browser Support

The following information will show you the current browser support for the HTML <base> tag. Hover over a browser icon to see the version that first introduced support for this HTML tag.