existing-rel-values
existing rel values
usage
rel values indicate the relationship of the target resource to the resource on which they appear. In microformats, rel are used on links (e.g. <a rel="home" href="http://example.org">). Elsewhere, they are also used on link headers (e.g. <link rel= start href="http://example.org/section/page1.htm">.
Multiple values may be used, in the same manner as multiple class values (e.g. <a rel="home me contents" href="http://example.org">).
rev
In (X)HTML, the same values may be used as rev ("reverse relationship") values, to indicate the relationship of resource on which they appear to the target resource. Such use (apart from the "grand-fathered" case of VoteLinks) is deprecated in microformats.
formats
These rel values are defined formats from specifications (HTML 4, microformats) are thus are recommended for general use. Alphabetically ordered by value.
Note: this list is incomplete, please help complete it from the following sources:
- HTML 4 link type
- xfn and other microformats
| rel value | summary | defining specification |
|---|---|---|
| alternate | ... | HTML4 link type |
| appendix | ... | HTML4 link type |
| author | ... | ??? |
| bookmark | ... | HTML4 link type |
| chapter | ... | HTML4 link type |
| contents | ... | HTML4 link type |
| copyright | ... | HTML4 link type |
| friend | the person represented by the current document considers the person represented by the refrenced document to be a friend | XFN |
| glossary | ... | HTML4 link type |
| help | ... | HTML4 link type |
| index | ... | HTML4 link type |
| me | the referenced document represents the same person as the current document | XFN |
| home | the referenced document is the homepage of the site in which the current page appears. | rel-home |
| license | the referenced document is license information for the current page. | rel-license |
| next | the next document in a navigation order | HTML4 link type |
| prev | the previous document in a navigation order | HTML4 link type |
| schema | ... | ??? |
| section | ... | HTML4 link type |
| start | ... | HTML4 link type |
| stylesheet | a style sheet for the current document | HTML4 link type |
| subsection | ... | HTML4 link type |
| tag | the referenced document represents a "tag", which is like a keyword or category label, for the current document | rel-tag |
notes
rel="alternate"can take further meaning from additional attributes, such asrel="alternate" lang="fr"(French language version of this page);rel="alternate" media="print"(printable version of this page) etc.
brainstorming
Several rel values are being brainstormed as potential microformats and are thus listed here. If you find you have a use for such semantics in real world examples, consider trying out these values and provide feedback on the respective brainstorming page(s) with your results/experience.
Sources: group-brainstorming, ...
| rel value | summary | proposed in |
|---|---|---|
| group | the referenced document represents a group that the person represented by the current document belongs to | group-brainstorming |
| member | the referenced document represents a member of the group represented by the current document | group-brainstorming |
dropped
The following rel values were in earlier version(s) of specification(s) and it is presumed by their absence from the most recent version of the respective specification(s) that they have been deprecated or obsoleted. Use of them could be considered a bit more standard than just POSH, although you may wish to research why such values were omitted from latter specifications before using them. If you do discover the reasoning, please add a short statement or link to thereof into the appropriate place in the following table.
Sources: HTML3 (expired!) - (has been superceded by HTML 3.2 - which itself has been superceded by HTML 4.0 - which itself has been updated by HTML 4.01, commonly referred to as "HTML 4" in this wiki and other places.)
| rel value | summary | defining specification | why dropped |
|---|---|---|---|
| toc | The link references a document serving as a table of contents. | HTML 3 | unknown |
| up | When the document forms part of a hierarchy, this link references the immediate parent of the current document. | HTML 3 | unknown |
POSH usage
There are numerous rel values used as POSH in the wild, their origins are not necessarily known, nor are their meanings consistent, but it may still be useful to document their existence and summarize their implied meanings/usage intent.
| rel value | summary | origin |
|---|---|---|
| archive | an archive document for the current blog | unknown origin |
tools
See implementations.