In computing, a hyperlink is an electronic link to data that users can follow or be guided towards by clicking or tapping it.

Hyperlinks can direct readers to either the entire document or a specific element within it. They’re frequently employed in reference mechanisms like tables of contents, footnotes, bibliographies, indexes and letters.

Linking

In communications, a link is an electronic line or channel through which data is transmitted. In data management, it’s simply an identifier for another record. Spreadsheet programs utilize linking so that specific cells in one worksheet can draw their data from another worksheet.

Computer links are virtual pointers or file paths to other objects stored on a device. They enable control to move between these different object files and are an essential element of hypertext systems.

Links have been an essential aspect of the World Wide Web ever since it began. They enable us to connect any document or resource to another, access specific parts of documents, or make applications accessible at a specific web address (URL).

Linking is a crucial feature of most web content, enabling users to move between pages quickly and conveniently. It also serves to make content more accessible for people with disabilities such as visual readers and screen reader users.

The HTML language defines an a> tag as an element that can be used to create a link, with its target specified by its href attribute. This attribute can take the form of either an absolute URL or the name of an existing page on a web server.

When creating a link, always include descriptive text that is easy to read for both visually and hearing impaired readers. This is especially important for screen reader users who often rely on sound cues to determine the context of words or phrases.

Avoid repeating the URL in link text – this makes it sound clunky when listened to on a computer with a screen reader, and may cause confusion for those using different types of browsers.

Additionally, keep your link text as concise as possible – this makes it easier for screen readers to interpret the entire message more quickly.

Avoid links that cause users to experience an unexpected effect, such as opening a popup window or downloading a large file. These features can be distracting and confusing for users, especially if they are connected via slow internet connections.

Anchor hyperlinks are special types of links that point specifically at a portion of a document rather than the entire thing. This is the most prevalent type of hyperlink.

Anchor links are typically contained within either an a> element or a div> element. In some cases, an anchor link may even be nested within an image> element to form a hotlink – a graphic object containing an embedded hyperlink.

Nesting links can feature additional link text attributes, such as “click here” or “more information”, that inform the user what the link is for and what to do when clicked. This is particularly useful when the link is part of an external website since a web browser might display the link text as the page title and users should be made aware that they’re about to click a link to another page.