<link type="">

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Attribute of
HTML Link Options Illustrated With Code Examples
What does <link type=""> do?
Describes the linked resource's media type (MIME type).

Specifying the Resource Type

The type attribute of the <link> element tells the browser what kind of resource you are linking to. The value of type is a media type, formerly known as a MIME type.

Example Usage

The most common value of type is perhaps text/css, which is used when linking to an external stylesheet.

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="http://mysite.com/styles.css">

You can specify any media type listed in the IANA Media Types list. However, the type will only be valid if you have specified a value for the href attribute (i.e. a document URL).

Default Behavior

It’s good practise to include the type attribute, but it isn’t obligatory.

If you omit the type attribute, the browser will make an educated guess at the content type by looking at the rel attribute instead. So it will assume the type is text/css where the rel attribute is stylesheet, for example.

In most cases, you can safely omit type without any negative consequences, but it’s a good idea to specify it to avoid problems in the future.

Claire is seasoned technical writer, editor, and HTML enthusiast. She writes for HTML.com and runs a content agency, Red Robot Media.