# Should Discourse links open in a new tab?

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161>\
**Category:** Meta Discussion\
**Created:** [April 27, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161 "2022-04-27T17:42:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chadagreene](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chadagreene/32/34924_2.png) [@chadagreene](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/chadagreene)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/1 "2022-04-27T17:42:33Z")

</div>

When navigating the Discourse site, I’m often surprised that links open in the current tab. This makes it hard to switch back and forth between the discussion, and links that are referenced in the discussion.

I’m curious to hear what the community thinks.

# How should hyperlinks behave?

_Poll ([view on site](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/1))_

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fredrikekre](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/fredrikekre/32/1688_2.png) [@fredrikekre](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fredrikekre)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/2 "2022-04-27T18:03:56Z")

</div>

Use Ctrl/Cmd-click if you want new tabs.

See e.g.

- [Why opening links in a new tab is bad for users](https://www.pbrumby.com/2016/09/26/why-opening-links-in-a-new-tab-is-bad-for-users/)
- [Opening links in a new tab or window is better avoided](https://www.tempertemper.net/blog/opening-links-in-a-new-tab-or-window-is-better-avoided)
- …

for some information why opening links in new tabs should be avoided.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mbauman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/mbauman/32/31082_2.png) [@mbauman](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/mbauman)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 6:12pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/3 "2022-04-27T18:12:29Z")

</div>

Yeah, we’re not going to change this — it’s something that is best done by the browser at the behest of the user. The way browsers work is that it’s very easy to open “normal” links in a new tab but challenging to open “new tab” links in the same tab.

There is a user setting that allows you to choose to open _external_ links in a new tab, but not for all links (profile → preferences → interface). If you’d want to have such a setting for _all_ links, you’d have to advocate for this upstream at [meta.discourse.org](http://meta.discourse.org).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chadagreene](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chadagreene/32/34924_2.png) [@chadagreene](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/chadagreene)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/4 "2022-04-27T18:40:35Z")

</div>

Brilliant! Okay, I didn’t realize there’s a setting to open External links in a new tab. Thanks!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Henrique\_Becker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/henrique_becker/32/15443_2.png) [@Henrique\_Becker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Henrique_Becker)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/5 "2022-04-27T18:42:36Z")

</div>

In my Firefox, at least, you can just click the link with the middle button (the scroll) to open in a new tab. No reason to make this choice for the user.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![chadagreene](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/chadagreene/32/34924_2.png) [@chadagreene](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/chadagreene)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/6 "2022-04-27T18:44:51Z")

</div>

_Every_ design choice is a choice being made for the user! 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Henrique\_Becker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/henrique_becker/32/15443_2.png) [@Henrique\_Becker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Henrique_Becker)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/should-discourse-links-open-in-a-new-tab/80161/7 "2022-04-27T18:50:13Z")

</div>

hahaha, yes, if we go full pedantic about it, yes, it is. What I meant is that the user already have the tools to make this specific choice effortlessly on each occasion, there is no need for a new default.