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name: broken-links description: "Use when auditing metadata, crawlability, structured data, or indexability related to Resolve internal broken links. Verify the rendered HTML and HTTP response rather than relying only on source files." metadata: category: seo priority: high difficulty: beginner estimatedTime: "10" source: frontendchecklist.io url: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/seo/broken-links

Resolve internal broken links

Internal broken links frustrate users and waste crawl budget by sending search engine bots to non-existent pages, potentially harming your site's SEO.

Quick Reference

• Identify and fix all internal links that return 404 (Not Found) or 5xx (Server Error) codes
• Ensure all navigation elements and inline links point to live, valid URLs
• Regularly audit your site after moving or deleting content to prevent dead links

Check

Scan the website for any internal links that lead to 404 pages or server errors.

Fix

Update the broken link to the correct URL or remove it if the destination page no longer exists.

Explain

Explain the concept of 'crawl budget' and how broken links can negatively affect a site's indexing efficiency.

Code Review

Review metadata generation, rendered HTML, structured data, and response headers related to Resolve internal broken links. Flag exact routes or templates where search-facing output violates the rule, and describe how to verify the final page output.

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For full implementation details, code examples, and framework-specific guidance, see references/rule.md.

Rule page: https://frontendchecklist.io/rules/seo/broken-links