Introduction
A link allows users to move through applications and websites. Links are used as navigational elements. They may appear on their own, within a sentence or paragraph, or directly following the content.
Anatomy
Link anatomy:
Label
Leading icon (optional).
They can be used on their own (standalone links) or in sentences (inline links).
Standalone links are used on their own directly in the following content. Inline links appear within paragraphs or sentences. They’re used to direct users to content that’s not directly related to the journey they’re on.
Similar content
Link appearance can be quite similar to button or CTA. Usually, if the user is making changes to the back or front-end of the site when clicking, you should use a button. If the user is being directed to a different page, you can use a link.
Visual Style
States
Links have 8 states that define their appearance: default, hover, focus, active, inactive, visited, selected and unavailable.
Sizing
There are two size variants for the link component: small and large. The link size should match the type size of the text it is inline with. When using links apart from other content, the link size should match the default body copy size of the page.
Usage
Use when
Use links when you want users to navigate to a different page within the application, navigate to an entirely different site, go to an element on the same page, link to emails or phone numbers.
Don’t Use When
For actions that will change data or manipulate how it is displayed, change a state, or trigger an action.
Do
Links need to be clear and concise. The user is able to anticipate what will happen when they click.
Keep links as short as possible (still making them clear).
Links that aren’t in a sentence should start with a capital letter and not be punctuated (exception of questions).
Use the same text for links that navigate to the same URL.
Don’t do
Avoid generic descriptions, link text must not be "click here".
Linking a full phrase is problematic because the word order might change, which would break the link into two parts.
Standalone links don’t need a full stop.
Too many links will clutter a page and make it difficult for users to identify their next steps. This is especially true for inline links, which should be used sparingly.
Behavior
Interaction using mouse: user can open a link by clicking anywhere along the link text or on the associated icon.
Interaction using keyboard: user can open a link by pressing Enter while the link has focus.