Quick Reference
Inline Link
[Link text](https://example.com)Reference Link
[Link text][1]
[1]: https://example.comInline Links
Inline links put the URL directly after the link text, making them easy to read and write in Markdown.
Basic Inline Links
Markdown:
Visit [Google](https://www.google.com) for searches. Check out [GitHub](https://github.com) for code. Read the [documentation](https://example.com/docs).Output:
Reference Links
Reference links separate the link definition from the text, making documents more readable and maintainable.
Numbered References
Markdown:
Visit [Google][1], [GitHub][2], and [Stack Overflow][3]. [1]: https://www.google.com [2]: https://github.com [3]: https://stackoverflow.comOutput:
Visit Google, GitHub, and Stack Overflow.
Named References
Markdown:
The [search engine][google] and [code platform][github]. [google]: https://www.google.com "Google Search" [github]: https://github.com "GitHub Platform"Output:
The search engine and code platform.
Different Types of Links
Email Links
Internal Links
Markdown:
[Home Page](/) [About Page](/about) [Contact Us](/contact) [Documentation](../docs/index.html)Anchor Links
Markdown:
[Jump to Top](#top) [See Examples](#examples) [Go to Footer](#footer) [Back to Basics](#basic-usage)Best Practices
✅ Best Practices
- Use descriptive link text: "Download the user manual" not "Click here"
- Add titles for context: Provide helpful tooltip information
- Use reference links for readability: Especially with many links
- Test all links: Verify URLs work before publishing
- Use HTTPS when possible: More secure than HTTP
- Be consistent: Choose inline or reference style and stick to it
❌ Common Mistakes
- Generic link text: "Click here", "Read more", "Link"
- Broken URLs: Links that don't work
- Missing protocols: Using "www.example.com" instead of "https://www.example.com"
- Long URLs in text: Use reference links for very long URLs
- No alt text consideration: Think about screen reader users
Common Issues and Solutions
❌ Problem: Spaces in Link Text
Wrong:
[ Click here ](https://example.com)Correct:
[Click here](https://example.com)No spaces between brackets and parentheses.
❌ Problem: Special Characters in URLs
Problematic:
[Search](https://example.com/search?q=hello world)Better:
[Search](https://example.com/search?q=hello%20world)URL-encode special characters like spaces (%20).
❌ Problem: Missing Reference Definitions
Wrong:
[Link text][missing]Correct:
[Link text][ref] [ref]: https://example.comAlways include reference definitions.
Try Links Yourself!
Practice link syntax with our free online converter.