Alternative Text (Alt Text)

Alternative text, usually called alt text, is a text alternative associated with an image so its important meaning or function can be communicated when the image cannot be seen. On a landscaping service page, an informative project photo might need a brief description of the work shown. An image used as a button needs text that identifies the action, while a purely decorative image may appropriately have empty alt text. Good alt text depends on the image's purpose in its specific context; it is not a place to repeat city names or keywords. It also cannot replace a full explanation when a complex image carries details that need more space. The goal is useful access to information.