# Link Text Clarity Check

Make link purpose understandable outside surrounding sentences, distinguish repeated destinations, expose file behavior, and remove ambiguous labels.

## Usage note

Use this check on rendered links in page context and in a links-only assistive-technology view. The goal is a clear purpose, not stuffing every destination keyword into anchor text. Follow design-system and accessibility standards for controls: an action that changes the current interface may need a button, while a link normally navigates to another resource or location.

## How to use this template

1. Inventory links with visible text, computed accessible name, destination, behavior, and page context.
2. Review whether each purpose is understandable when encountered in sequence and out of context.
3. Resolve vague, repeated, conflicting, icon-only, bare-URL, and behavior-hiding labels.
4. Test keyboard focus, assistive-technology link lists, downloads, anchors, and target states.
5. Recheck shared components and monitor links whose destinations or requirements change.

## Blank template

### Link record

- **Page and component:** [URL, section, card, table, or navigation]
- **Visible link text:** [Exact]
- **Computed accessible name:** [Exact]
- **Destination:** [URL or anchor]
- **Destination title/purpose:** [What the reader finds]
- **Behavior:** [Navigate, download, external, new window, jump]
- **Requirement:** [Sign-in, payment, language, file reader, or None]
- **Repeated label count:** [Number and destinations]
- **Risk if unclear:** [Wrong task, lost context, unexpected file, other]

### Revision

- **Revised visible text:** [Specific label]
- **Additional behavior cue:** [File type, size, language, external]
- **Component change:** [Link/button/icon/accessibility name]
- **Destination fix:** [Redirect, anchor, access, broken link]
- **Reviewer:** [Name and date]
- **Regression scope:** [Other pages using component]
- **Decision:** [Approve, revise, remove, consolidate]

### Clarity checks

- [ ] Purpose is clear from text or programmatically associated context.
- [ ] Identical labels do not lead to meaningfully different destinations.
- [ ] Repeated card actions include the item identity.
- [ ] Downloads and unusual behaviors are communicated.
- [ ] Icon-only links have a concise accessible name.
- [ ] Links and buttons match their actual behavior.
- [ ] Keyboard focus and assistive link navigation work.
- [ ] Destination title, status, and access match the promise.