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Two adjacent links should not point to the same destination. You almost always want to combine the 
two links.

For example, it is quite common to link an image and text together like this:

```html
<a href="news.html">
    <img src="photo.jpg" alt="" />
</a>
<a href="news.html">
    News
</a>
``` 

These adjacent links should be combined like so:

```html
<a href="news.html">
    <img src="photo.jpg" alt="" />
    News
</a>
``` 

Links to `#` are ignored, as these are nearly always placeholders for JavaScript, e.g.:

```html
<a href="#" onclick="approve()">
    OK
</a>
<a href="#" onclick="reject()">
    Cancel
</a>
```

# Justification

Many users of assistive technology are only able to experience content sequentially - that is, they must
step through each part of the page, one part at a time. Often this is a slow process, potentially 
hampered by a physical impediment.

Stepping through redundant links is time consuming; for example users of a screen reader must 
hear each link read aloud in turn. 

This also simplifies your code. 

# Methodology

1. Find all links (`<a>` tags) on the page.
2. Ignore links pointing to `#`, as these are usually placeholders for JavaScript.
3. Flag links which are (a) separated only by whitespace and (b) which point to the 
   same absolute URL.  

# Learn more

Read about [Technique H2](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20-TECHS/H2) on how to combine
an adjacent image and texts links.

duplicate-adjacent-link

June 2025

May 2025

Novartis Ag

Title / URL	Issues
About \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about	18
Novartiswww.novartis.com/	17
Novartis Gene Therapies \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/novartis-gene-therapies	17
First time visit: View without clicking anythingwww.novartis.com/	17
Therapeutic areas \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/therapeutic-areas	16
Data and Digital \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/strategy/data-and-digital	16
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/diversity-equity-inclusion	16
People and Culture \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture	16
Strategy \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/strategy	16
Ton Buechner \| Novartiswww.novartis.com/about/board-directors/ton-buechner	15

Combine adjacent links with the same destination

Novartis Ag

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