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# HTML `` rev Attribute The `rev` attribute of the `` (anchor) tag is a legacy HTML attribute used to define a reverse relationship between the current document and the linked document. This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the `rev` attribute, its syntax, historical values, and its status in modern web development. --- ## Overview and Usage The `rev` attribute specifies the relationship of the target document to the current document (the reverse of the `rel` attribute). For example, if a link has `rel="next"`, the corresponding link in the target document might have `rev="prev"`. ### Important Modern Web Standard Note > ⚠️ **Deprecated in HTML5:** The `rev` attribute is **obsolete and deprecated** in HTML5. Modern web browsers and search engines no longer actively use it. For modern web development, you should use the `rel` attribute to define relationships between documents. --- ## Syntax ```html Link Text ``` --- ## Attribute Values The following table lists the values historically supported by the `rev` attribute: | Value | Description | | :--- | :--- | | `alternate` | An alternate version of the document (e.g., a print page, translation, or mirror). | | `stylesheet` | An external stylesheet for the document. | | `start` | The first document in a collection. | | `next` | The next document in a collection. | | `prev` | The previous document in a collection. | | `contents` | A table of contents for the document. | | `index` | An index for the document. | | `glossary` | A glossary or explanation of terms used in the document. | | `copyright` | A document containing copyright information. | | `chapter` | A chapter of the document. | | `section` | A section of the document. | | `subsection` | A subsection of the document. | | `appendix` | An appendix to the document. | | `help` | A help document. | | `bookmark` | A related bookmark/document. | | `nofollow` | Instructs search engines (like Google) not to follow or pass link equity to the linked document. | | `licence` | A document containing licensing information. | | `tag` | A tag/keyword document representing the current page. | | `friend` | Defines a social relationship (historically used in XHTML Friends Network / XFN). | --- ## Code Examples ### Basic Example In this example, the `rev` attribute indicates that the current document is a "nofollow" target relative to the linked page. ```html Cheap Flights ``` ### Contrast: `rel` vs `rev` To understand the difference between the forward relationship (`rel`) and the reverse relationship (`rev`): ```html Go to Page 2 Go to Page 2 ``` --- ## Browser Support and SEO * **Browser Support:** All major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, Opera) historically parsed this attribute without throwing errors. However, browsers do not change the visual rendering or behavior of the link based on this attribute. * **Search Engines:** Historically, search engine crawlers used the `rev` attribute to better map the structure and relationship of websites. In modern SEO, search engines rely almost exclusively on the `rel` attribute (e.g., `rel="nofollow"`, `rel="sponsored"`, `rel="ugc"`). ### Recommendation for Modern Developers Do not use the `rev` attribute in new projects. If you need to define relationships between documents, use the standard `rel` attribute instead: ```html Secure Link ```