#  Internal Links 

 



HarvardSites Drupal provides content management features to help you create and maintain a stable site structure, with a focus on ways to preserve links between content items as your site evolves and changes.

Key to these features is how Drupal manages content items, or “nodes.” A node is a particular piece of content, and includes all details stored for the content type. For example, an Events node includes the event title and description, as well as associated details about the event — format, date and time, location — and about the node itself — authoring details, taxonomy terms, revision history.

Because the platform identifies content using node IDs, you can make changes, and even change a content item name, without breaking the site structure.

To take advantage of this stability, internal links — that is, links to content within the site — should be established using a node ID wherever possible, rather than linking to the full URL of the item. For example, links to this page within the User Guide site use the node ID (/node/445) rather than the URL (<https://drupal.harvardsites.harvard.edu/resource/internal-links>).

Selecting a node involves working with autocomplete fields. These are fields that auto-populate with matching content. For example, when creating or editing content using the text editor, you create a link by selecting text and then selecting the **Link** button (see [Text Editor](/resource/text-editor "Text Editor") for details about using the text editor toolbar). After typing a few letters of the content item in the **Link URL** autocomplete field, a dropdown list of matching content appears.

   ![screenshot of adding a link to text and looking up the linked item](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2026-06/Screenshot%202026-06-08%20at%2011.08.41%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=Ig-M1lFC) 

 

After selecting a content item, the **Link URL** field updates to show the node ID. That internal link will remain functional, even if the source or destination changes.

   ![screenshot for adding a link a text](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2026-06/Screenshot%202026-06-08%20at%2011.08.04%E2%80%AFAM.png?itok=j_RdPcUm) 

 



 

 

##  Related how-tos 

 



  [### Understanding and Managing Redirects

 ](/managing-redirects)How to redirect content to a new URL.



 

 

   ![Person holding a Harvard tote bag walking down a sidewalk scattered with pink and red flower petals.](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-02/thumb_redirects.jpg?itok=5i0K80Pi) 

 



 

 

   [### Linking to a file

 ](/linking-file)How to create and link to a downloadable file resource, and how to update the file with a newer version.



 

 

   ![View from below of a person ascending a spiral staircase.](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-02/thumb_link_to_file.jpg?itok=xDcGiijN) 

 



 

 

   [### Linking to on-page anchor links

 ](/linking-page-anchor-links)How to create an anchor link to a component or other page content, and how to link to an anchor link.



 

 

   ![Assorted colorful beetles in compartments of a fossil display case](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2024-07/thumb_link_to_content.jpg?itok=laa2SITI) 

 



 

 

  

 

 

 

 

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##  Related resources 

 



  [### Checking for (and managing) broken links on your HarvardSites site

 ](/resource/checking-and-managing-broken-links-your-harvardsites-site)Identify, fix, and prevent broken links on your site.



 

 

   ![AI-generated image showing nodes connected by lines](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-10/pexels-googledeepmind-17485658.jpg?itok=uU0i8Pjm) 

 



 

 

   [### Content URLs

 ](/resource/content-urls)How content URLs are generated and managed on the platform.



 

 

   ![A modern building with a grid-like facade of metallic panels and glass windows. ](/sites/g/files/omnuum1651/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2025-02/thumb_content_URLs.jpg?itok=cHWhzIer) 

 



 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 See also:- [ Links ](/general-site-management/links)