1、Get Base URL

 Mage::getBaseUrl() => Get base url path e.g. http://yourwebsite.com/
 Mage::getBaseUrl('media') => Get MEDIA folder path e.g. http://yourwebsite.com/media/
 Mage::getBaseUrl('js') => Get JS folder path e.g. http://yourwebsite.com/js/
 Mage::getBaseUrl('skin') => Get SKIN folder path e.g. http://yourwebsite.com/skin/

 2、Get Current URL

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

 3、Get Home URL

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

 4、Create module your

 Mage::getUrl('module/controller/action');

5、Get secure URL
To get secure URL you just need to add one more parameter as bellow,

Mage::getUrl('',array('_secure'=>true))
Mage::getUrl('module/controller/action',array('_secure'=>true))

6、Get Directory paths

Mage::getBaseDir()
 //output : /var/www/html/magento
Mage::getBaseDir('app')
 //output : /var/www/html/magento/app
Mage::getBaseDir('media')
 //output : /var/www/html/magento/media

Same way you can get more directory path,

Mage::getBaseDir(‘design’) => Get design directory path
Mage::getBaseDir(‘code’) => Gives code directory file path
Mage::getBaseDir(‘lib’) => Gives lib directory file path
Mage::getBaseDir(‘skin’) => Gives skin directory file path
Mage::getBaseDir(‘var’) => Gives var directory file path
Mage::getBaseDir(‘cache’) => Gives cache directory file path
Mage::getBaseDir(‘log’) => Gives log directory file path

7、Get URL path in Static Block

Get Base URL

{{base url=''}}

Get Skin URL

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

Get Media URL

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

Get Store URL

{{store url=''}}

8、 get url paths in  phtml.

//Not secure Skin URL
<?php echo $this->getSkinUrl('images/sampleimage.jpg') ?>
 
//Secure Skin URL
<?php echo $this->getSkinUrl('images/ sampleimage.gif', array('_secure'=>true)) ?>
 
//Get  Current URL
$current_url = Mage::helper('core/url')->getCurrentUrl();
 
//Get Home URL
$home_url = Mage::helper('core/url')->getHomeUrl();
 
//Get Magento Media URL
Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_LINK);
 
Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_MEDIA);
 
//Get Magento Skin URL
Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_SKIN);
 
//Get Magento Store URL
Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_WEB);
 
//Get Magento Js URL
Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_JS);