A broken link, also known as a dead link, is a hyperlink that directs a user or search engine crawler to an unreachable web address (URL). When a browser or crawler attempts to reach that address, the server hosting the target page returns a specific error code.
The most common response codes for a broken link are 404 Not Found and 410 Gone. A 404 code means that the server was found, but could not find the requested resource at that address. A 410 code is more specific and indicates that the resource has been permanently removed and is unlikely to be restored.
Having a large number of broken links on a website can lead to a poor user experience and negatively affect SEO (search engine optimization), as search engines may perceive the site as poorly maintained or of poor quality. Regularly identifying and fixing broken links is an important part of any site’s technical maintenance.