webring

A webring is a collection of websites that are linked together in a circular fashion. Members of a webring typically share a common theme or interest, and each site in the ring provides links to the next and previous sites. This creates a navigational structure that allows users to easily explore related content.

Webrings were popular in the early days of the internet as a way to discover new websites before the advent of sophisticated search engines. They offered a community-driven approach to content discovery, allowing site owners to connect with others in their niche and users to find more specialized content.

To join a webring, a website owner would typically submit their site to a webring administrator. Once approved, they would receive a special navigation bar or set of links to place on their site. This navigation bar would contain links to the "next" and "previous" sites in the ring, as well as a link back to the webring's homepage or index.

While webrings are less common today due to the dominance of search engines and social media, they still exist and are used by some communities. They can still be a valuable tool for niche interests and for fostering a sense of community among website creators and visitors. The concept of linking related sites together, however, has evolved into modern recommendation algorithms and related content features found on many websites.