Imagelinks

Imagelinks refers to the hyperlinks attached to images within a wiki page, defining where a user is taken when the image is clicked. These links can point to the image’s own file page, to the page on which the image appears, or to another specified destination.

In MediaWiki-based wikis, the default behavior is often for images to link to their file page. This behavior can be controlled globally by configuration, such as a setting that determines whether images link to the file page or to the page where they appear. The exact default can vary by installation and skin, but image linking is a common feature across many wiki sites.

Per-image control is possible to override the default for individual images. In the image markup, operators can disable linking entirely with a nolink option, or specify a different destination with a link-related parameter. Common destinations include the image’s file page, the article or section where the image is embedded, or a completely custom URL. These options allow authors to tailor navigation for readers, such as linking an image to a related external resource or to a specific section of the current article.

Usage considerations include consistency across a wiki, user expectations, and accessibility. Linking behavior should be predictable to avoid confusing readers, and alternative text should accompany linked images to assist users who rely on screen readers. Imagelinks remain a useful tool for enhancing navigation and referencing alongside captions and alt text.