Is using custom attributes valid?

Question

I want to cancel any links and add extra attributes to each one. Below is how I've achieved this.

function anularEnlaces(){
    $('nav a').each(function(){
        var href = $(this).attr('href');
        var id = $(this).attr('id');
        $(this).attr('href','javascript:void(0)');
        $(this).attr('hrefnot',href);
        $(this).attr('nivel','uno');
        $(this).attr('seccion','dos');
    });
}

My question is, is that a valid/recommended way to add custom atributes?

Answer 1

Not like that. If you are using the HTML5 doctype you can use the new data-* attributes, and then use the jQuery data method:

$(this).data("hrefnot", href);

And HTML:

<a href="somewhere.html" data-hrefnot="something">A link</a>

If you don't need to store data on your tags initially, then it doesn't matter whether you use the HTML5 doctype or not (jQuery's data method will still work).