Linkinga

Linkinga is a term used in information architecture to describe a systematic approach to creating and managing links between digital objects. The concept envisions links as first-class entities with explicit provenance, lifecycles, and contextual metadata, rather than as ad hoc references. The term blends 'link' with the suffix -inga to denote process or activity.

Origin and scope: The term appears in theoretical discussions about hypertext and linked data as a way to address link rot, navigation, and data integration. It is not a widely standardized specification but a framework for thinking about linking strategies.

Core principles: Bidirectional linking by default, persistent identifiers, and version-aware linking; explicit provenance and citation trails; anchor points that identify exact locations within objects; and policy-driven link maintenance, including when and how links are updated or deprecated.

Components: A link registry that records links and their context; a link resolver that carries out navigation using persistent identifiers; anchor points embedded in objects; and policies that govern link creation, expiration, and access control.

Variants and applications: Lightweight static linking for simple documents; dynamic linking that resolves references at render time; persistent linking designed to survive content moves; used in digital libraries, collaborative documents, scholarly publishing, and educational platforms to improve discoverability and auditability.

Criticisms: Potential complexity, performance overhead, and the risk of link sprawl or stale links if maintenance is neglected. In practice, successful use of linkinga requires clear metadata standards, governance, and suitable user interfaces.

See also: hyperlink, backlink, provenance, version control, semantic web.