Spectrum
Link
Links allow users to navigate to a different location. They can be presented inline inside a paragraph or as standalone text.
Options#
Primary variant#
The primary link is the default variant and and is blue. This should be used to call attention to the link and for when the blue color won’t feel too overwhelming in the experience.
Secondary variant#
The secondary variant is the same gray color as the paragraph text. Its subdued appearance is optimal for when the primary variant is too overwhelming, such as in blocks of text with several references linked throughout.
Over background variant#
When a link needs to be placed on top of a colored background or visual, use the over background variant. Make sure that the background and the white link color meet the minimum color contrast ratio.
Quiet#
All links can have a quiet style, which means they don’t have an underline. This style should only be used when the placement and context of the link is explicit enough that a visible underline isn’t necessary. Quiet links are less accessible, so they should not be used for links that are essential to the experience. These are commonly used in website footers, where there are several lists of links that are shortcuts to other pages.
Table of options#
From the design point of view, each component has a number of options. These options and their names are platform agnostic, and each implementation should adapt these to fit into their framework.
| Property | Values | Default Value |
|---|---|---|
| variant | primary / secondary / over background | primary |
| is quiet | yes / no | no |
Behaviors#
Windows high contrast mode#
In Windows high contrast mode, links should be displayed using the windows high contrast theme-specified colors for link text. When placed over a background or image, links have the default theme background color.
Usage guidelines#
Use links in body copy#
Links should be restricted to the body copy and not used in headers. If you are looking for a larger and more prominent link, consider using other types of call to actions, such as buttons.
Think about screen readers#
Be mindful of what the experience is for users navigating with screen readers. Make sure to give enough context within the link about where the link will take the user.
Keyboard interactions#
| KEY | INTERACTION |
|---|---|
| Enter | Executes the link and moves the focus to the link target. |
Changelog#
| Date | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 13, 2019 | 6.0.0 |
|
| Apr 20, 2019 | 5.0.0 |
|
Design checklist#
All interactive states
Includes all interactive states that are applicable (hover, down, focus, keyboard focus, disabled).
Multiple options
Includes relevant options (variant, style, size, orientation, optional iconography, decorations, selection, error state, etc.)
All color themes
Works properly across all four color themes (lightest, light, dark, darkest).
All platform scales
Includes a desktop scale (UWP, macOS, web desktop) and a mobile scale (iOS, Android, web mobile).
Defined behaviors
Includes guidelines for layout (wrapping, truncation, overflow), animation, interactions, etc.
Usage guidelines
Includes a list of dos and don’ts that highlight best practices and common mistakes.
Accessible contrast
Follows WCAG 2.0 standards for contrast (AA).
Internationalization guidelines
Works properly across various locales and includes guidelines for bi-directionality (RTL).
Keyboard interactions
Follows WCAG 2.0 standards for keyboard accessibility guidelines and includes a description of the keyboard interactions.
Design tokens
All design attributes (color, typography, layout, animation, etc.) are included in Spectrum DNA.
Generated UI kit
Includes a downloadable XD file that has been generated by code and shows multiple variations, states, color themes, and scales.
In Spectrum for Adobe XD plugin
Component is included in the Spectrum for Adobe XD plugin.
Button group