JavaScript String anchor() Method

What You’ll Learn

String.prototype.anchor() is a deprecated HTML wrapper method (same API as MDN String.prototype.anchor()). It returns a string that wraps your text in an <a name="..."> tag. Learn what it builds, why that markup is obsolete, and how to replace it with document.createElement().

Understanding the anchor() Method

Calling str.anchor(name) does not create a live DOM node. It concatenates an HTML string: an opening <a name="..."> tag, the original text, and a closing </a>.

• It is an instance method on strings (auto-boxed if needed).
• It returns a new string — the original is unchanged.
• Double quotes inside name become ".
• Prefer DOM APIs for real elements in the page.

📝 Syntax

General form of String.prototype.anchor:

str.anchor(name)

Parameters

• name — a string (or value coerced to string) used as the name attribute in the generated <a> start tag.

Return value

A string beginning with <a name="..."> (quotes in name escaped as "), then the text of str, then </a>.

Common patterns

"Hello, world".anchor("hello");
// 'Hello, world'

"Title".anchor('section"1');
// 'Title'

// Prefer this in new code:
const elem = document.createElement("a");
elem.id = "hello";
elem.textContent = "Hello, world";

Examples Gallery

Examples follow MDN String.anchor() patterns. Use View Output or Try It Yourself for each case.

const contentString = "Hello, world";
contentString.anchor("hello");
// 'Hello, world'

<a name="hello">Hello, world</a>

"Title".anchor('section"1');
// 'Title'

<a name="section&quot;1">Title</a>

"A".anchor(123);     // 'A'
"A".anchor(true);    // 'A'
"".anchor("empty");  // ''

<a name="123">A</a>
<a name="true">A</a>
<a name="empty"></a>

const contentString = "Hello, world";
const html = contentString.anchor("hello");
// document.body.innerHTML = html;  // legacy pattern — avoid in new apps

console.log(html);
// Warning:  is invalid in modern HTML

<a name="hello">Hello, world</a>
(invalid modern markup — name is not allowed on <a>)

const contentString = "Hello, world";
const elem = document.createElement("a");
elem.id = "hello";
elem.textContent = contentString;
elem.href = "#hello";

// document.body.appendChild(elem);
console.log(elem.outerHTML);
// 'Hello, world'

<a id="hello" href="#hello">Hello, world</a>

📝 Notes

• anchor() is deprecated — standardized only for compatibility.
• The generated name attribute on <a> is not valid in modern HTML.
• It returns a string, not a DOM node.
• Other HTML wrappers (big(), blink(), bold(), fixed(), …) share the same fate.
• Use id + fragment links for in-page navigation.
• Avoid assigning untrusted strings to innerHTML.

💡 Best Practices