What is the purpose of the href attribute in a link?

The href attribute is a fundamental component of an anchor (link) element in HTML. Its primary purpose is to specify the URL of the page or resource that the link points to. When a user clicks on a link, the browser uses the value of the href attribute to determine where to navigate next. This can include linking to another webpage, a file for download, or an external site.

The href attribute essentially serves as the destination for the hyperlink, making it a crucial element for web navigation. It enables users to traverse the web by linking various resources together. For example, <a href="https://www.example.com">Visit Example</a> creates a link that, when clicked, will take the user to "https://www.example.com".

In contrast, the other options represent different aspects of how links function but do not pertain to the primary definition of href. Describing the link's function relates more to the anchor text used in the link rather than the href itself, while defining the color of the link pertains to CSS styling and setting the title of the link is related to the title attribute, which provides additional information but does not influence navigation.