[docizr-book]
Adding Links Beginner
[/docizr-book]
A link connects your reader to something else — another page, a website, a shop, a resource, a map. In Markdown, adding a link takes just a few characters, and once you know the pattern you will use it constantly. It is one of the features that makes Markdown documents genuinely useful rather than merely readable.
What You Will Need
Your Markdown editor, open and ready. You can try each example on its own, or build them into a short resource guide as you go.
Workflow
Step 1
Aim: write your first link.
A Markdown link has two parts: the link text — what the reader sees — inside square brackets, followed immediately by the web address inside round brackets. Nothing separates the two; they sit right next to each other.
Visit the [National Trust website](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk) for details.
In the preview, 'National Trust website' should appear as a clickable link. The full web address is hidden — the reader sees only the linked phrase.
Visit the National Trust website for details.
Step 2
Aim: choose link text that makes sense.
Good link text tells the reader exactly where they are going. Phrases like 'click here' or 'this link' are not helpful — they say nothing about the destination. The link text should describe the page or resource it points to, so it makes sense even when read out of context.
## Useful Baking Resources
I recommend starting with [BBC Good Food](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com) for reliable, well-tested recipes. For baking in particular, [Nigella Lawson's website](https://www.nigella.com) is a pleasure to browse.
If you are looking for something more technical, the [Serious Eats food science section](https://www.seriouseats.com/food-science) explains the *why* behind baking as well as the *how*.
Useful Baking Resources
I recommend starting with BBC Good Food for reliable, well-tested recipes. For baking in particular, Nigella Lawson's website is a pleasure to browse.
If you are looking for something more technical, the Serious Eats food science section explains the why behind baking as well as the how.
Step 3
Aim: add a tooltip to a link.
You can add a short tooltip — a piece of text that appears when the reader hovers over the link in a desktop browser. It sits inside the round brackets after the web address, in quotation marks. This is optional and most links do not need one, but it can add useful context on desktop.
Note: tooltips rely on hover, which requires a mouse. They are not shown on phones or tablets, where there is no hover state. Think of them as a small bonus for desktop readers rather than a feature all visitors will see.
I recommend starting with [BBC Good Food](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com "BBC Good Food — thousands of tested recipes") for reliable recipes.
If you are on a computer with a mouse, hover over the link in your preview to see the tooltip appear. On a phone or tablet you will not see it — tooltips only work on hover.
I recommend starting with BBC Good Food for reliable recipes.
Step 4
Aim: add links to a list.
Links work inside bullet and numbered lists as naturally as they do in paragraphs. A linked reading list or resource guide is one of the most practical things you can write in Markdown.
## My Favourite Baking Websites
- [BBC Good Food](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com) — thousands of recipes, well tested and clearly written
- [Nigella Lawson](https://www.nigella.com) — warm, approachable recipes with a focus on pleasure
- [Serious Eats](https://www.seriouseats.com) — deep dives into the science of why recipes work
- [The Great British Bake Off](https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk) — technique guides and recipes from the show
My Favourite Baking Websites
- BBC Good Food — thousands of recipes, well tested and clearly written
- Nigella Lawson — warm, approachable recipes with a focus on pleasure
- Serious Eats — deep dives into the science of why recipes work
- The Great British Bake Off — technique guides and recipes from the show
Step 5
Aim: review what you have written.
Links in Markdown always follow the same pattern: [link text](web address). The link text is what the reader sees; the address is what the browser opens. The tooltip is optional.
# Baking Resources
## Useful Websites
I recommend starting with [BBC Good Food](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com) for reliable, well-tested recipes. For baking in particular, [Nigella Lawson's website](https://www.nigella.com) is a pleasure to browse.
---
## My Favourite Baking Websites
- [BBC Good Food](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com) — thousands of recipes, well tested and clearly written
- [Nigella Lawson](https://www.nigella.com) — warm, approachable recipes with a focus on pleasure
- [Serious Eats](https://www.seriouseats.com) — deep dives into the science of why recipes work
- [The Great British Bake Off](https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk) — technique guides and recipes from the show
Baking Resources
Useful Websites
I recommend starting with BBC Good Food for reliable, well-tested recipes. For baking in particular, Nigella Lawson's website is a pleasure to browse.
My Favourite Baking Websites
- BBC Good Food — thousands of recipes, well tested and clearly written
- Nigella Lawson — warm, approachable recipes with a focus on pleasure
- Serious Eats — deep dives into the science of why recipes work
- The Great British Bake Off — technique guides and recipes from the show
You now know how to add links anywhere in your text. The next workflow shows you how to include images — the syntax is almost identical to a link, with just one extra character at the start.