A broken link, also called a dead link, is a hyperlink or reference that no longer points to working content, so following it returns an error such as an HTTP 404 instead of the expected page, file or resource. Broken links usually appear when content is deleted, moved, renamed or the link address is mistyped.
Why it matters: Broken links stop users reaching what they came for and make a site or app look unprofessional. Some are minor, but a broken link to a checkout or a core asset can block a key journey entirely. Broken reference links to code libraries, fonts or stylesheets can also change how a page looks or behaves without any obvious error.
In practice: Testers find broken links in several ways:
- Running a link checking tool or browser extension that scans pages and reports failing links.
- Adding a link checker to the continuous integration pipeline.
- Reading error logs, analytics or database tables that record 404 responses.
- Deliberately altering a link or commenting out a reference in a sandbox to see how the application fails.
Examples:
- Removing a word from a link's URL and checking whether the site redirects sensibly or shows a helpful 404 page.
- Commenting out a font library reference and seeing whether the page's styling changes.
- Finding that duplicated database records stop a parent asset from loading, so every link to it fails.
Common pitfalls:
- Raising a separate defect for every broken link on a page, which slows the team down when one defect listing all the links would do.
- Breaking links on a shared or live environment instead of a local copy or sandbox.
What causes broken links? Common causes include website migrations, content updates, renamed or deleted pages, changes from HTTP to HTTPS, and external libraries or dependencies that change or disappear.
What is the difference between a broken link and an orphan page? A broken link points to content that isn't there. An orphan page is content that exists but has no working link pointing to it.
