Anchor links only break after launch if they were created using the staging URL, and, in Composer are static, meaning they always point to the exact URL used when the link was created. If you create anchor links using your live domain URL before the site goes live, they will work perfectly once the site is published. The key is to use the correct URL structure from the start.
💡 Quick answers
- Will my anchor links break if I create them before launch? Only if you use the staging URL. If you create them with your live domain URL, they'll work fine after the site goes live.
- What URL should I use when creating anchor links? Always use your live domain URL, even before the site goes live. This ensures your anchor links work immediately after launch.
- Does Finalsite automatically update anchor links if my URL changes? No. Anchor links in Composer are static. They point to the exact URL you typed when you created them. Finalsite does not dynamically update links if a page URL or domain changes. If your staging URL changes to a live domain, any anchor links pointing to the staging URL will break and must be manually updated.
- Can I create anchor links during development? Yes, as long as you use the correct live domain URL in the link, not the staging URL.
- How do I know if an anchor link is broken? Click the link and nothing happens, or it takes you to the wrong section of the page.
In this article
When anchor links break (and when they don't)
An anchor link works by pointing to a specific section of a page using a URL that looks like: https://www.yoursite.com/page-name/#section-name
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Anchor links DO break if: You create them using the staging URL (like
https://staging.yoursite.com/about#team) before the site goes live. Once the site is published to the live domain, the staging URL no longer exists, and the link breaks. -
Anchor links DON'T break if: You create them using your live domain URL (like
https://www.yoursite.com/about#team) during development. They'll work perfectly once your site goes live.
⚠️ Important Note
Use your live domain URL when creating anchor links, even during development before the site launches. This ensures the links are correct and work immediately after going live.
Fix broken anchor links
If you created anchor links before launch and they are now broken, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Identify the broken anchor link. Test the link on the live site. If nothing happens or it goes to the wrong location, it's broken.
- Step 2: Delete the broken link. Highlight and delete the linked text.
- Step 3: Type new link text. Enter the text for the anchor link.
- Step 4: Highlight the text. Select all the text.
- Step 5: Click the Link button. This opens the Link modal in the editor.
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Step 6: Use the live site URL. In the Link modal, paste the live site URL with the anchor section:
https://www.yoursite.com/about#team - Step 7: Test the link. Click it to verify it now jumps to the correct section on the live site.
Best practice
To ensure your anchor links work correctly:
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Use your live domain URL: When creating anchor links, always use your live domain URL, not the staging URL. For example, use
https://www.yoursite.com/about#team, nothttps://staging.yoursite.com/about#team. - Test after launch: Once your site goes live, click every anchor link to verify it jumps to the correct section.
- If unsure, wait until after launch: If you prefer to test links on the live site before adding them to content, you can wait until after the site is published to create anchor links.
Anchor links created with the live domain URL work perfectly, even during development. Anchor links created with staging URLs break after launch. Always use your live domain when creating anchor links.
Comments
Charvan, thank you for your question! I added some clarification at the beginning of this article to better answer your question.
Finalsite does not automatically update anchor links that change. They're static, meaning they always point to the exact URL you used when you created them. Is this what you were looking for or can I help you further with this?
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