what is an attribute

An attribute is a quality, characteristic, or property of an object, element, file, or person. In computing, an attribute is a specification that defines a property of an object, element, or file, and it can also refer to or set the specific value for a given instance of such. In most cases, an attribute consists of a name and a value. Attributes are used to describe data and the formatting of data in markup languages such as HTML and XML. In object-oriented programming, attributes are defined for classes and objects, and they represent the quality or state of the class or object. In mathematics, attributes refer to the traits or properties of a shape or an object. Examples of attributes include leadership, organizational ability, eye color, screen size, and page count.