What Is a Relative URL?
A relative URL points to a page’s location without specifying the full domain — /glossary/relative-url/ rather than https://example.com/glossary/relative-url/.
Relative vs Absolute URLs
An absolute URL includes the full address: protocol, domain, and path. A relative URL only includes the path, and is interpreted by the browser relative to the current page’s domain. Both ultimately point to the same destination when used correctly on the same site.
When to Use Each
Relative URLs are common and generally fine for internal links, since they’re shorter and automatically adapt if a site changes domains or protocols. Absolute URLs are typically preferred for canonical tags, sitemaps, structured data, and any link intended to work correctly regardless of context (like in an email or RSS feed), since they leave no ambiguity about the intended destination.
