A relative URL structure defines a web address that specifies the location of a resource relative to the current page's address, rather than providing the full or absolute address.
Understanding Relative URLs
Unlike absolute URLs, which include the entire address (e.g., https://example.com/blog/article.html), relative URLs only provide the path from the current page. This means the browser interprets the URL based on the base URL of the current page.
How Relative URLs Work
Consider you are on the page https://example.com/blog/. Here's how relative URLs would work:
/blog/article.html: This URL points tohttps://example.com/blog/article.html. It's relative to the domain's root.article.html: This points tohttps://example.com/blog/article.html. It assumes the resource is in the same directory as the current page../article.html: Same as above, explicitly indicating the current directory.../images/logo.png: This points tohttps://example.com/images/logo.png. The../moves one directory level up from the current page (/blog/).
Advantages of Using Relative URLs
- Portability: Relative URLs make websites more portable. If you move your website to a new domain or a different directory structure within the same domain, you might not need to update all your links.
- Development Efficiency: During development, when the final domain might not be set, relative URLs simplify linking.
- Less Typing: Relative URLs are shorter and easier to type than absolute URLs.
Disadvantages of Using Relative URLs
- Context Dependent: Their functionality relies on the context of the current page. If a relative URL is used in a document served outside the website's normal structure (e.g., in an email), it might not resolve correctly.
- Potential for Errors: It's easy to make mistakes when calculating the correct relative path, especially with complex directory structures.
Examples
| Current Page URL | Relative URL | Resolved URL | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
https://example.com/blog/ |
article.html |
https://example.com/blog/article.html |
Navigates to a file in the same directory. |
https://example.com/blog/article1/ |
../images/logo.png |
https://example.com/blog/images/logo.png |
Navigates one level up and into the images directory. |
https://example.com/ |
/about |
https://example.com/about |
Navigates to the /about route on the same domain. |
https://example.com/section/subsection/page.html |
../../style.css |
https://example.com/section/style.css |
Goes up two directories and accesses style.css. |
In summary, a relative URL is a way to specify the location of a resource on a web server in relation to the location of the current web page. They offer portability and efficiency, but require careful path management.
