Link Overlay
Link overlay is a semantic component used to wrap elements (cards, blog post, articles, etc.) in a link.
Import
import { LinkBox, LinkOverlay } from "@chakra-ui/react";
Usage
When you need to link an entire component or card, it can be tempting to wrap it
within <a href="...">
and think you're done. This is considered unsemantic
and incorrect because the component or card could contain other clickable
elements or links (tags, timestamps, buttons).
According to the specification, an
<a>
element’s content model specifically states that an<a>
cannot contain any interactive descendants (button, anchors, input, etc).
The LinkOverlay
component aims to solve this by overlaying one link on top of
the component or card, and then elevating the remaining links on top of it.
Wrap the container within a LinkBox
and use the LinkOverlay
as a child of it
or around the title's content.
<LinkBox as="article" maxW="sm" p="5" borderWidth="1px" rounded="md">
<Box as="time" dateTime="2021-01-15 15:30:00 +0000 UTC">
13 days ago
</Box>
<Heading size="md" my="2">
<LinkOverlay href="#">
New Year, New Beginnings: Smashing Workshops & Audits
</LinkOverlay>
</Heading>
<Text>
Catch up on what’s been cookin’ at Smashing and explore some of the most
popular community resources.
</Text>
</LinkBox>
Nested Links
The LinkBox
lifts any nested links to the top using z-index
to ensure proper
keyboard navigation between links.
Use the keyboard to test how focus ring moves within the article
<LinkBox as="article" maxW="sm" p="5" borderWidth="1px" rounded="md">
<Box as="time" dateTime="2021-01-15 15:30:00 +0000 UTC">
13 days ago
</Box>
<Heading size="md" my="2">
<LinkOverlay href="#">
New Year, New Beginnings: Smashing Workshops & Audits
</LinkOverlay>
</Heading>
<Text mb="3">
Catch up on what’s been cookin’ at Smashing and explore some of the most
popular community resources.
</Text>
<Box as="a" color="teal.400" href="#" fontWeight="bold">
Some inner link
</Box>
</LinkBox>
Usage with Routing Library
To add support for external libraries like Next.js' or gatsby Link
, you can
wrap them around the LinkOverlay
or use the as
prop (for reach and react
router)
import NextLink from "next/link";
function Example() {
return (
<LinkBox as="article">
<h2>
<NextLink href="#" passHref>
<LinkOverlay>Some blog post</LinkOverlay>
</NextLink>
</h2>
<p>
As a side note, using quotation marks around an attribute value is
required only if this value is not a valid identifier.
</p>
<a href="#">Some inner link</a>
</LinkBox>
);
}
Caveat
One of the side-effects for this technique is that the content can't be "selectable" (i.e with a pointing device), however this seems to be pretty trivial compared to the benefits!
Props
The LinkBox
component composes the Box
component.
The LinkOverlay
component composes the chakra.a
in addition to these props:
isExternal
isExternal
If true
, the link will open in new tab
boolean