Automatically Reuse or Refresh Link Windows

HTML links and forms can use a named target. When the same target name is reused, the browser reuses that browsing context instead of creating duplicate tabs.

Named link target: one link reuses one browsing context

Code:
<a href="blank.html" target="blank.html">Blank page</a>
Result:
Blank page

Click repeatedly. The live preview below simulates the named browser tab being opened once, then refreshed.

Simulated named browser tab

No tab opened yet

Click the link to open blank.html.

Refresh count: 0

Different target values create independent browsing contexts

Code:
<a href="blank.html?s=1" target="blank.html?s=1">Blank page?s=1</a>
<a href="blank.html?s=2" target="blank.html?s=2">Blank page?s=2</a>
Result:
Blank page?s=1 Blank page?s=2

Each unique target name gets its own simulated tab, so these two links refresh separately.

blank.html?s=1 Refresh count: 0
blank.html?s=2 Refresh count: 0

Same custom target: several URLs share one search tab

Code:
<a href="blank.html?s=1" target="_search">Blank page?s=1</a>
<a href="blank.html?s=2" target="_search">Blank page?s=2</a>
Result:
Blank page?s=1 Blank page?s=2

Both links point to different URLs, but the shared target="_search" keeps them in the same simulated tab.

Shared target: _search

No search tab opened yet

Click either link to load a URL into _search.

Refresh count: 0

Forms can also reuse a named target

Code:
<form action="blank.html" target="_search">
  <input name="q" value="css target">
  <button>Search</button>
</form>
Result:

Submit different search terms. The form keeps using the same named target instead of creating duplicate tabs.

Form target: _search

No form result opened yet

Submit the form to load blank.html?q=css+target.

Submit count: 0

Special target keywords still keep their built-in meanings

Code:
<!-- _self loads in the current browsing context. -->
<a href="#current-section" target="_self">Open in this page</a>

<!-- _blank usually opens a new tab or window. -->
<a href="blank.html" target="_blank">Open a fresh tab</a>
Result:
Open in this page Open a fresh tab

The first link jumps to this result area. The second demonstrates the idea of a fresh unnamed tab.

Special keyword behavior

Waiting for interaction

Click one of the two links above.

Fresh _blank clicks: 0