HTML Image Maps is a technique that allows you to divide an image into multiple clickable areas, each of which can be linked to different URLs or perform different actions when clicked. This can be useful for creating interactive diagrams, maps, or any other image-based content where different regions should behave differently.
To create an image map, you need to define the clickable areas using the HTML <area> tag, which is nested inside the <map> tag. The <map> tag also needs to have a name attribute, which is used to link the image to the map.
Here’s an example of an image map that divides an image into two clickable areas:
<img src="example.jpg" alt="Example Image" usemap="#examplemap">
<map name="examplemap">
<area shape="rect" coords="0,0,50,50" href="http://example.com/page1.html">
<area shape="rect" coords="50,50,100,100" href="http://example.com/page2.html">
</map>
In this example, the <img> tag specifies the source of the image and uses the usemap attribute to link it to the map named “examplemap”. The <map> tag contains two <area> tags, each of which defines a rectangular clickable area using the shape and coords attributes. The href attribute specifies the URL that should be opened when the area is clicked.
There are several shapes that can be used to define clickable areas, including rect (rectangle), circle, and polygon. The coords attribute is used to specify the coordinates of the shape.
HTML Image Maps can be a powerful tool for creating interactive content, but they can also be challenging to design and maintain, especially for complex images with many clickable areas. Consider using a dedicated image mapping tool to simplify the process.
