Link goes to specific location of page

Question

What makes the user go to a specific location on a new html page? Not the current page. For example, when you click this link, you don't end up starting at the top like you normally would.

http://www.stanford.edu/dept/itss/docs/oracle/9i/java.920/a96654/basic.htm#1006509

Answer 1

That's called an HTML anchor. Notice the #. The text AFTER that hash symbol is never actually sent to the server (in the GET request) so the server is only aware that you are visiting up to the '.htm' part. Your browser will look for anchors (take a look at the source) and scroll you down to that part.

In modern web design, anchors are used also in conjunction with JavaScript to load certain windows or messages.

Answer 2

You can use internal anchors to define locations like so:

<a name="top"> </a>

<div>
    <p>Content Here</p>
</div>

<a href="#top">Back to Top</a>