hotlink

Hotlink refers to a hyperlink that points to a resource hosted on another server. In practice, hotlinking commonly occurs when a web page embeds media—most often an image—by linking directly to the media file on a different site rather than hosting a copy locally. When the page loads, the user's browser makes a request to the remote server for that media, which serves the file to the user and consumes the remote site's bandwidth.

Hotlinking is distinct from linking to a page on the same site; it is simply a direct reference to a resource at a different host. While it can make embedding content easy, it shifts the resource load and bandwidth usage to the owner of the linked file.

Impact and issues include potential bandwidth burdens on the remote site, and reliability concerns for the linking site if the resource is moved, renamed, or blocked. Content on linked resources may change or disappear, and many sites take steps to prevent hotlinking through server configuration or policy controls.

Prevention and management options include hotlink protection via server configuration, such as blocking external requests at the web server level, using Content Security Policy headers to restrict where resources may be loaded from, or employing CDN settings to enforce origin checks. Some sites also replace hotlinked media with placeholders or dynamic content to avoid unauthorized embedding.

In practice, hotlinking remains a common but contested technique on the web. It can reduce hosting costs for the linking site but may conflict with the rights or preferences of the resource owner. See also hyperlink, bandwidth, and hotlink protection.