majiayu000 Check Links
Analyze and validate links (<a>) and buttons on web pages for proper navigation and accessibility.
Quick Start
Run the link checker from the scripts directory:
cd /path/to/html-checker/scripts
bun src/check-links.ts <URL>
CLI Options
| Option | Short | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
--verbose |
-v |
false | Show all links including valid ones |
--json |
-j |
false | Output results as JSON |
--check-external |
-e |
false | Verify external links (slower) |
Checks Performed
| Check | Severity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Empty href | Error | Link with href="" or no href attribute |
| javascript:void | Warning | Link with href="javascript:void(0)" |
| Hash only | Warning | Link with href="#" (no destination) |
| Button no action | Error | <button> without click handler or form |
| Dead link | Error | Link returns 404 or unreachable |
| Missing text | Warning | Link with no accessible text content |
Usage Examples
Basic check
bun src/check-links.ts https://example.com
Verbose output showing all links
bun src/check-links.ts https://example.com --verbose
Check external links (verify 404s)
bun src/check-links.ts https://example.com --check-external
JSON output for automation
bun src/check-links.ts https://example.com --json
Output
The checker provides:
- Summary - Total links/buttons analyzed
- Issues - List of problems with severity and location
- Statistics - Breakdown by issue type
- Recommendations - How to fix each issue
Example Output
Link Analysis for https://example.com
Summary:
Total Links: 45
Total Buttons: 12
Issues Found: 7
Issues:
[ERROR] Empty href at line 23
<a href="" class="cta-button">Click here</a>
[WARNING] javascript:void at line 56
<a href="javascript:void(0)" More</a>
[WARNING] Hash-only link at line 89
<a href="#">Back to top</a>
[ERROR] Button without action at line 112
<button class="submit-btn">Submit</button>
Statistics:
Empty href: 2
javascript:void: 3
Hash-only: 1
Button no action: 1
Recommendations:
- Replace javascript:void with proper button elements
- Add href destinations or use <button> for actions
- Ensure all buttons have onclick or form association
Common Issues and Fixes
Empty href
Bad:
<a href="" class="btn">Click</a>
Good:
<a href="/destination" class="btn">Click</a>
<!-- or use button for actions -->
<button type="button" class="btn"
javascript:void(0)
Bad:
<a href="javascript:void(0)"
Good:
<button type="button"
Hash-only links
Bad:
<a href="#">Scroll to top</a>
Good:
<a href="#top">Scroll to top</a>
<button type="button" to top</button>
Accessibility (WCAG)
- SC 2.4.4: Link purpose must be clear
- SC 4.1.2: All interactive elements need accessible names
- SC 1.3.1: Buttons must be properly identified
SEO Impact
- Empty/invalid links waste crawl budget
- javascript:void links are not crawlable
- Broken links harm site authority
- Internal linking improves page discovery
Related Files
- Scripts:
/plugins/html-checker/scripts/ - Check Headings:
/plugins/html-checker/skills/check-headings/