Research & Centers | The University Akron, Ohio

Safety at UA | Home page | The University Akron, Ohio

Cummings Center for the History of Psychology : The University of Akron, Ohio

Transfer & Adult Student Enrollment : The University of Akron, Ohio

Alumni Association : The University of Akron, Ohio

Campus Life & Akron Activities : The University of Akron, Ohio

Academics and majors : The University of Akron, Ohio

The University of Akron : YOU BELONG HERE! : The University of Akron, Ohio

Sending Mail to Campus: Tips and Advice : The University of Akron, Ohio

Mobile : The University of Akron, Ohio

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

The University of Akron

Title / URL	Issues
Research & Centers \| The University Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/research/	5
Safety at UA \| Home page \| The University Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/safety/	4
Cummings Center for the History of Psychology : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/chp/	4
Transfer & Adult Student Enrollment : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/transfer/	3
Alumni Association : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/alumni-friends/	3
Campus Life & Akron Activities : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/campus-life/	3
Academics and majors : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/academics_majors/	3
The University of Akron : YOU BELONG HERE! : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/	3
Sending Mail to Campus: Tips and Advice : The University of Akron, Ohiowww.uakron.edu/information/mail.dot	3
Mobile : The University of Akron, Ohiouakron.edu/mobile/	3

Combine adjacent links with the same destination

The University of Akron

Where this issue has occurred