XLink

XLink is the XML Linking Language.  It allows elements to be inserted into XML documents in order to create and describe links between resources. In HTML we had a pre-defined element (anchor or "a") that provided both linking and pointing functionality.  XML, having no pre-defined elements and new hypertext requirements needed both pointing and linking mechanisms.  XLink uses XML syntax to create structures that can describe the simple unidirectional hyperlinks of today's HTML, as well as more sophisticated links.

XLink provides a framework for creating both basic unidirectional links and more complex linking structures. It allows XML documents to:

• Assert linking relationships among more than two resources
• Associate metadata with a link
• Create link databases that reside in a location separate from the linked resources

An important application of XLink is in hypertext systems. Hyperlinks are links that are meaningful to end users, often being presented to them directly for use and actuation. This specification defines hypertext-specific metadata that can be associated with a link. XLink is also applicable to links that are entirely machine-processed.

XLink became a W3C Recommendation on June 27, 2001.