In this article
The <script> tag is essential in HTML for integrating or linking JavaScript scripts to a web page. It allows you to add interactive or dynamic functionalities to a site.
Scripts included via this tag can be directly integrated into the HTML code or linked to an external JavaScript file, as we will see. 😉
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Structure and syntax of the <script> tag
Basic structure and syntax
The <script> tag is a container tag. It is used with:
- An opening tag
<script>; - A closing tag
</script>.
It can contain JavaScript code directly or reference an external file via the src attribute.
Here is its general structure:
HTML
<script src="[URL of the JavaScript file]"></script>Â
Usage examples
Integrating an external JavaScript script
To integrate an external JavaScript script, simply use the src attribute with the URL:
HTML
<script src="script.js"></script>Â
Integrating a script directly
It is also possible to directly integrate JavaScript code within the tag, without an external file:
HTML
<script>
console.log('Welcome to our site!');
</script>Â
Attributes of the <script> tag
| Attribute | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
src | Specifies the path to an external JavaScript file. | <script src="script.js"></script> |
type | Defines the MIME type of the script. By default, it is text/javascript. | <script type="module"></script> |
async | Loads the script in parallel and executes it immediately once loaded. | <script src="script.js" async></script> |
defer | Defers the execution of the script until the DOM is fully loaded. | <script src="script.js" defer></script> |
crossorigin | Handles cross-origin requests. Values: anonymous, use-credentials. | <script src="script.js" crossorigin="anonymous"></script> |
integrity | Allows verifying the integrity of a script with a cryptographic signature. | <script src="script.js" integrity="sha384-oqVuAfXRKap7fdgcCY5uykM6+R9GqQ8K/uxy9rx7HNQlGYl1kPzQho1wx4JwY8w"></script> |
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Browser compatibility
| Browser | Compatibility with <script> | Support for ES modules (type="module") |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome | Yes | Yes (from Chrome 61) |
| Firefox | Yes | Yes (from Firefox 60) |
| Safari | Yes | Yes (from Safari 10.1) |
| Edge | Yes | Yes (from Edge 16) |
| Internet Explorer | Yes | No |