HTML Level 1 and 2 Manual

<BASE> Element

Category: Head Metadata
Period: HTML 1 / HTML 2.0
Status: core

Description

Sets the base URL for resolving relative links.

Syntax

<BASE HREF="http://example.com/manual/">

Attributes

HREF.

Usage Guidelines

Use only when a page will be read from a different location than its links imply.
Place it in HEAD before links are interpreted.
Avoid it in small sites unless you truly need it; it can confuse maintainers.
Test all relative links after adding BASE.

Common Mistakes

A wrong BASE can break every relative link and image on the page.

Example Code

<HEAD>
<BASE HREF="http://example.com/manual/">
<TITLE>Mirror Copy</TITLE>
</HEAD>

Authoring Note

Write the document first, then test it in a graphical browser and a text browser. The page should remain understandable if images fail, colours are ignored, or the browser uses its own fonts.

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