Q124- What is the purpose of the alt attribute in an <img> tag? Why is it important for web accessibility?

The alt (alternative text) attribute in an <img> tag provides a text description of the image content.

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✅ Purpose of the alt Attribute

1. Accessibility:
   • Screen readers use the alt text to describe the image to visually impaired users, helping them understand the context.
2. SEO (Search Engine Optimization):
   • Search engines use the alt text to index images, improving your site’s search visibility.
3. Fallback Text:
   • If an image fails to load due to network issues, the browser displays the alt text instead.

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Example:

<img src="profile.jpg" alt="Profile picture of Teekam Singh" />

If the image can’t load, users will see:

Profile picture of Teekam Singh

And screen readers will announce the same text.

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🚫 Bad Example:

<img src="profile.jpg" alt="image" />

• The word “image” gives no useful context.

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⚡ Tip:

• Use descriptive, concise alt text.
• For decorative images, set alt="" to tell screen readers to ignore them.

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Example for Decorative Image:

<img src="border.png" alt="" />

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Summary Table

Purpose	Description
Accessibility	Helps screen readers describe images
SEO	Improves image search ranking
Fallback	Displays text if image fails to load

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In short:
The alt attribute ensures accessibility, SEO benefits, and a better user experience by describing images when they can’t be seen or loaded.