Ensure links work when Javascript doesn’t

If you use Javascript to ‘jazz up’ the navigation on your website, make sure the links still work when Javascript is turned off (or is not supported). Here is a technique I have seen used quite often on web pages; Javascript being used to open a new window when a user clicks a link:

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Note that in the above example the URL of the page being linked to will only appear as a result of running the script. This is not good; a user who has Javascript turned off or not available, will not be able to link to this particular page.

You can be sure that whatever you are trying to achieve with your Javascript, there will be a more accessible way to do it, and that is true in this case. The following example is from Evolt.org, and shows how the same effect can be achieved without breaking the link:

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(Please note, the W3C guidelines say that you should always warn users before opening a new window.)

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Evolt.org Javascript article.

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