Components

Link

Pseudo-component

A drop in replacement for the standard HTML <a> tag, with GovUK styling, that supports fast, client-side navigation.

Links are blue and underlined by default. If your link is at the end of a sentence or paragraph, make sure that the linked text does not include the full stop.

Text

HTML
React

<a class="govuk-link govuk-link--active" href="#">
  Text
</a>

<A href="#">Text</A>

Props

Name	Type	Description
id	string	'id' attribute to place on the base HTML element
classBlock	string	Block name override in BEM style classes applied to all elements
classModifiers	other	BEM style modifiers to apply to the base HTML element
className	string	Extra classes to apply to the base HTML element
download	other
href	string
hrefLang	string
media	string
ping	string
target	other
type	string
referrerPolicy	other
defaultChecked	boolean
defaultValue	other
suppressContentEditableWarning	boolean
suppressHydrationWarning	boolean
accessKey	string
autoFocus	boolean
contentEditable	other
contextMenu	string
dir	string
draggable	other
hidden	boolean
lang	string
nonce	string
slot	string
spellCheck	other
style	other
tabIndex	number
title	string
translate	enum
radioGroup	string
role	other
about	string
content	string
datatype	string
inlist	other
prefix	string
property	string
rel	string
resource	string
rev	string
typeof	string
vocab	string
autoCapitalize	string
autoCorrect	string
autoSave	string
color	string
itemProp	string
itemScope	boolean
itemType	string
itemID	string
itemRef	string
results	number
security	string
unselectable	enum
inputMode	enum	Hints at the type of data that might be entered by the user while editing the element or its contents
is	string	Specify that a standard HTML element should behave like a defined custom built-in element
aria-activedescendant	string	Identifies the currently active element when DOM focus is on a composite widget, textbox, group, or application.
aria-atomic	other	Indicates whether assistive technologies will present all, or only parts of, the changed region based on the change notifications defined by the aria-relevant attribute.
aria-autocomplete	enum	Indicates whether inputting text could trigger display of one or more predictions of the user's intended value for an input and specifies how predictions would be presented if they are made.
aria-braillelabel	string	Defines a string value that labels the current element, which is intended to be converted into Braille.
aria-brailleroledescription	string	Defines a human-readable, author-localized abbreviated description for the role of an element, which is intended to be converted into Braille.
aria-busy	other
aria-checked	other	Indicates the current "checked" state of checkboxes, radio buttons, and other widgets.
aria-colcount	number	Defines the total number of columns in a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-colindex	number	Defines an element's column index or position with respect to the total number of columns within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-colindextext	string	Defines a human readable text alternative of aria-colindex.
aria-colspan	number	Defines the number of columns spanned by a cell or gridcell within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-controls	string	Identifies the element (or elements) whose contents or presence are controlled by the current element.
aria-current	other	Indicates the element that represents the current item within a container or set of related elements.
aria-describedby	string	Identifies the element (or elements) that describes the object.
aria-description	string	Defines a string value that describes or annotates the current element.
aria-details	string	Identifies the element that provides a detailed, extended description for the object.
aria-disabled	other	Indicates that the element is perceivable but disabled, so it is not editable or otherwise operable.
aria-dropeffect	enum	Indicates what functions can be performed when a dragged object is released on the drop target.
aria-errormessage	string	Identifies the element that provides an error message for the object.
aria-expanded	other	Indicates whether the element, or another grouping element it controls, is currently expanded or collapsed.
aria-flowto	string	Identifies the next element (or elements) in an alternate reading order of content which, at the user's discretion, allows assistive technology to override the general default of reading in document source order.
aria-grabbed	other	Indicates an element's "grabbed" state in a drag-and-drop operation.
aria-haspopup	other	Indicates the availability and type of interactive popup element, such as menu or dialog, that can be triggered by an element.
aria-hidden	other	Indicates whether the element is exposed to an accessibility API.
aria-invalid	other	Indicates the entered value does not conform to the format expected by the application.
aria-keyshortcuts	string	Indicates keyboard shortcuts that an author has implemented to activate or give focus to an element.
aria-label	string	Defines a string value that labels the current element.
aria-labelledby	string	Identifies the element (or elements) that labels the current element.
aria-level	number	Defines the hierarchical level of an element within a structure.
aria-live	enum	Indicates that an element will be updated, and describes the types of updates the user agents, assistive technologies, and user can expect from the live region.
aria-modal	other	Indicates whether an element is modal when displayed.
aria-multiline	other	Indicates whether a text box accepts multiple lines of input or only a single line.
aria-multiselectable	other	Indicates that the user may select more than one item from the current selectable descendants.
aria-orientation	enum	Indicates whether the element's orientation is horizontal, vertical, or unknown/ambiguous.
aria-owns	string	Identifies an element (or elements) in order to define a visual, functional, or contextual parent/child relationship between DOM elements where the DOM hierarchy cannot be used to represent the relationship.
aria-placeholder	string	Defines a short hint (a word or short phrase) intended to aid the user with data entry when the control has no value. A hint could be a sample value or a brief description of the expected format.
aria-posinset	number	Defines an element's number or position in the current set of listitems or treeitems. Not required if all elements in the set are present in the DOM.
aria-pressed	other	Indicates the current "pressed" state of toggle buttons.
aria-readonly	other	Indicates that the element is not editable, but is otherwise operable.
aria-relevant	enum	Indicates what notifications the user agent will trigger when the accessibility tree within a live region is modified.
aria-required	other	Indicates that user input is required on the element before a form may be submitted.
aria-roledescription	string	Defines a human-readable, author-localized description for the role of an element.
aria-rowcount	number	Defines the total number of rows in a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-rowindex	number	Defines an element's row index or position with respect to the total number of rows within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-rowindextext	string	Defines a human readable text alternative of aria-rowindex.
aria-rowspan	number	Defines the number of rows spanned by a cell or gridcell within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-selected	other	Indicates the current "selected" state of various widgets.
aria-setsize	number	Defines the number of items in the current set of listitems or treeitems. Not required if all elements in the set are present in the DOM.
aria-sort	enum	Indicates if items in a table or grid are sorted in ascending or descending order.
aria-valuemax	number	Defines the maximum allowed value for a range widget.
aria-valuemin	number	Defines the minimum allowed value for a range widget.
aria-valuenow	number	Defines the current value for a range widget.
aria-valuetext	string	Defines the human readable text alternative of aria-valuenow for a range widget.
dangerouslySetInnerHTML	other
onCopy	other
onCopyCapture	other
onCut	other
onCutCapture	other
onPaste	other
onPasteCapture	other
onCompositionEnd	other
onCompositionEndCapture	other
onCompositionStart	other
onCompositionStartCapture	other
onCompositionUpdate	other
onCompositionUpdateCapture	other
onFocus	other
onFocusCapture	other
onBlur	other
onBlurCapture	other
onChange	other
onChangeCapture	other
onBeforeInput	other
onBeforeInputCapture	other
onInput	other
onInputCapture	other
onReset	other
onResetCapture	other
onSubmit	other
onSubmitCapture	other
onInvalid	other
onInvalidCapture	other
onLoad	other
onLoadCapture	other
onError	other
onErrorCapture	other
onKeyDown	other
onKeyDownCapture	other
onKeyPress	other
onKeyPressCapture	other
onKeyUp	other
onKeyUpCapture	other
onAbort	other
onAbortCapture	other
onCanPlay	other
onCanPlayCapture	other
onCanPlayThrough	other
onCanPlayThroughCapture	other
onDurationChange	other
onDurationChangeCapture	other
onEmptied	other
onEmptiedCapture	other
onEncrypted	other
onEncryptedCapture	other
onEnded	other
onEndedCapture	other
onLoadedData	other
onLoadedDataCapture	other
onLoadedMetadata	other
onLoadedMetadataCapture	other
onLoadStart	other
onLoadStartCapture	other
onPause	other
onPauseCapture	other
onPlay	other
onPlayCapture	other
onPlaying	other
onPlayingCapture	other
onProgress	other
onProgressCapture	other
onRateChange	other
onRateChangeCapture	other
onResize	other
onResizeCapture	other
onSeeked	other
onSeekedCapture	other
onSeeking	other
onSeekingCapture	other
onStalled	other
onStalledCapture	other
onSuspend	other
onSuspendCapture	other
onTimeUpdate	other
onTimeUpdateCapture	other
onVolumeChange	other
onVolumeChangeCapture	other
onWaiting	other
onWaitingCapture	other
onAuxClick	other
onAuxClickCapture	other
onClick	other
onClickCapture	other
onContextMenu	other
onContextMenuCapture	other
onDoubleClick	other
onDoubleClickCapture	other
onDrag	other
onDragCapture	other
onDragEnd	other
onDragEndCapture	other
onDragEnter	other
onDragEnterCapture	other
onDragExit	other
onDragExitCapture	other
onDragLeave	other
onDragLeaveCapture	other
onDragOver	other
onDragOverCapture	other
onDragStart	other
onDragStartCapture	other
onDrop	other
onDropCapture	other
onMouseDown	other
onMouseDownCapture	other
onMouseEnter	other
onMouseLeave	other
onMouseMove	other
onMouseMoveCapture	other
onMouseOut	other
onMouseOutCapture	other
onMouseOver	other
onMouseOverCapture	other
onMouseUp	other
onMouseUpCapture	other
onSelect	other
onSelectCapture	other
onTouchCancel	other
onTouchCancelCapture	other
onTouchEnd	other
onTouchEndCapture	other
onTouchMove	other
onTouchMoveCapture	other
onTouchStart	other
onTouchStartCapture	other
onPointerDown	other
onPointerDownCapture	other
onPointerMove	other
onPointerMoveCapture	other
onPointerUp	other
onPointerUpCapture	other
onPointerCancel	other
onPointerCancelCapture	other
onPointerEnter	other
onPointerLeave	other
onPointerOver	other
onPointerOverCapture	other
onPointerOut	other
onPointerOutCapture	other
onGotPointerCapture	other
onGotPointerCaptureCapture	other
onLostPointerCapture	other
onLostPointerCaptureCapture	other
onScroll	other
onScrollCapture	other
onWheel	other
onWheelCapture	other
onAnimationStart	other
onAnimationStartCapture	other
onAnimationEnd	other
onAnimationEndCapture	other
onAnimationIteration	other
onAnimationIterationCapture	other
onTransitionEnd	other
onTransitionEndCapture	other
forceExternal	boolean	Whether to force the link to be treated as external (useful for internal links that are NOT handled by the application)

When to use this component

Use this component wherever you would normally use a normal HTML <a> tag.

How it works

It wraps the Link component from React Router and so allows the router to handle the links without a page reload when possible.

Text

HTML
React

<a class="govuk-link govuk-link--active" href="#">
  Text
</a>

<A href="#">Text</A>

External links

If it’s an external link to a non-government website, make that clear in the link text. For example, ‘read advice on writing link text from [name of organisation]’. There’s no need to say explicitly that you’re linking to an external site. Do not use an external link icon.

No visited state

Use the no-visited-state modifier class where it is not helpful to distinguish between visited and unvisited states, for example when linking to pages with frequently-changing content such as the dashboard for an admin interface.

Text

HTML
React

<a
  class="govuk-link govuk-link--active govuk-link--no-visited-state"
  href="#"
>
  Text
</a>

<A href="#" classModifiers="no-visited-state">
  Text
</A>

Opening links in a new tab

Avoid opening links in a new tab or window. It can be disorienting - and can cause accessibility problems for people who aren’t able to visually perceive that the new tab has opened.

If you need a link to open in a new tab - for example, to stop the user losing information they’ve entered into a form - then include the words ‘opens in new tab’ as part of the link. There’s no need to say ‘tab or window’, since opening in a new tab is the default behaviour for most browsers.

Include rel="noreferrer noopener" along with target="_blank" to reduce the risk of reverse tabnabbing. The following example shows how to do this in HTML.

Text

HTML
React

<a
  rel="noreferrer noopener"
  target="_blank"
  class="govuk-link govuk-link--active"
  href="#"
>
  Text
</a>

<A href="#" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">
  Text
</A>

If you’re displaying lots of links together and want to save space and avoid repetition, consider doing both of the following:

adding a line of text before the links saying ‘The following links open in a new tab’
including <span class="govuk-visually-hidden">(opens in new tab)</span> as part of the link text, so that part of the link text is visually hidden but still accessible to screen readers

Links on dark backgrounds

Use the govuk-link--inverse modifier class to show white links on dark backgrounds – for example, in headers, custom components, and patterns with darker backgrounds.

Make sure all users can see the links – the white links and background colour must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

Text

HTML
React

<div class="govuk-panel govuk-panel--interruption">
  <div class="govuk-panel__body">
    <p>
      <a
        class="govuk-link govuk-link--active govuk-link--inverse"
        href="#"
      >
        Text
      </a>
    </p>
  </div>
</div>

<Panel classModifiers="interruption">
  <p>
    <A classModifiers="inverse" href="#">
      Text
    </A>
  </p>
</Panel>

Links without underlines

Use the govuk-link--no-underline modifier class to remove underlines from links.

Only do this if the context tells the user that the text is a link, even without the underline.

For example, links in a header or side navigation might not need underlines. Users will understand that they’re links because of where they are, at the same place, across different pages.

Text

HTML
React

<a
  classModifier="no-underline"
  class="govuk-link govuk-link--active"
  href="#"
>
  Text
</a>

<A href="#" classModifier="no-underline">
  Text
</A>

Links to change a language

You can use links to allow a user to access the current content in a different language.

When offering links to content in other languages, make sure:

the link’s text includes the name of the alternative language in both English and the source language
the link’s purpose is always clear, even when taken out of context
the link element includes an hreflang attribute that identifies the language of the linked page.

For example, your link text could be ‘use [Service name] in [language]’.