How does the rel attribute in the <link> element affect its functionality?

The rel attribute defines the relationship between the current document and the linked resource.

The rel attribute in the <link> element specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked resource. It is a critical attribute that determines how the browser should handle the linked resource. For example, rel="stylesheet" indicates that the linked file is a stylesheet, while rel="icon" specifies a favicon. The value of rel can affect the loading behavior and the context in which the resource is used.

<link href="style.css" rel="stylesheet" />
<link href="favicon.ico" rel="icon" />