Should I still be using a "Home" link in my navigation

Design & UX
#1

Hi there,

I’m wondering if it’s still worth adding a home link on my navigation link? I am trying to reduce my nav and thought i could remove it. I have noticed some websites don’t have a home link and just link the logo.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks!

#2

I know it’s “standard” to have the logo be the home link, but I personally like it when sites include a home link in the menu (assuming the page isn’t the home page, of course).

#3

It’s bad accessibility to have two links to the same page in close proximity.

#4

As long as you DO provide a way back to the home page, that’s good, whether by logo, text link or button. All three are pretty common. If I don’t see a clear Home link, I click on the logo or the Back button.

#5

Only if they’re right next to each other (source). “Most” menus aren’t right next to the site logo. There are some, of course, but not all of them.

And that’s not even an official guideline. There’s nothing about consecutive links on the WebAIM, which I know isn’t “official” but they’re pretty thorough and unbiased.

Nor is it covered by WCAG that I can find…

1 Like
#6

Said someone who makes websites. :slightly_smiling_face:

See things from the perspective of your visitors. Many of us here know that logos are commonly used as a home link. But is this knowledge universal among the less web-savy public?
IMO you need to make things as easy, clear and obvious as possible.

2 Likes
#7

wave.webaim.org gives an alert (rather than an error) if there are two links to the same page next to each other.

#8

Yes, If they’re RIGHT next to each other. But this is perfectly acceptable and won’t throw an error

<div>
<a href="www.example.com"><img src="www.example.com/logo.png"</a>
</div>
<nav>
<ul>
   <li><a href="www.example.com">home</a></li>
   <li><a href="www.example.com/page2">Page2</a></li>
   <li><a href="www.example.com/page3">Page3</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>

So even though visually, they’re “right next to each other” there is no warning, or even an alert. They just don’t want you to do garbage like this

<nav>
<ul>
   <li><a href="www.example.com">home</a></li>
   <li><a href="www.example.com">still home</a></li>
   <li><a href="www.example.com/page2">Page2</a></li>
   <li><a href="www.example.com/page3">Page3</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
1 Like
#9

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