Here’s a Magento Code guide on how to inject the essential Url’s into your phtml template file. Whether trying to reference an image in your media folder or you want to include some javascript top the page. This is how its done:

Code in php

1. Get Base Url :

Mage::getBaseUrl();

2. Get Skin Url :

Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_SKIN);

(a) Unsecure Skin Url :

$this->getSkinUrl('images/imagename.jpg');

(b) Secure Skin Url :

$this->getSkinUrl('images/imagename.gif', array('_secure'=>true));

3. Get Media Url :

Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_MEDIA);

4. Get Js Url :

Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_JS);

5. Get Store Url :

Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_WEB);

6. Get Current Url

Mage::helper('core/url')->getCurrentUrl();

Get Url in cms pages or static blocks

1. Get Base Url :

{{store url=""}}

2. Get Skin Url :

{{skin url='images/imagename.jpg'}}

3. Get Media Url :

{{media url='/imagename.jpg'}}

4. Get Store Url :

{{store url='mypage.html'}}