---
title: "canonical · Link relation · zhead"
canonical_url: "https://zhead.dev/link/canonical"
last_updated: "2026-08-13T08:00:02.775Z"
meta:
  description: "Names the preferred URL for the current document. Search engines can use it to consolidate duplicate URLs and their signals."
  "og:description": "Names the preferred URL for the current document. Search engines can use it to consolidate duplicate URLs and their signals."
  "og:title": "canonical · Link relation · zhead"
---

Link

# canonical

Names the preferred URL for the current document. Search engines can use it to consolidate duplicate URLs and their signals.

## Code examples

Good example

```
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.example.com/products/widget">
```

Declares one absolute preferred URL for the current page.

Avoid this example

```
<link rel="canonical">
```

Has no href, so it does not identify a preferred URL.

## Recommendations

- 01 Point to a usable page Use an absolute URL for a canonical page that returns a successful response and is eligible for indexing. Avoid redirects and error pages.
- 02 Keep signals consistent Use the same preferred URL in canonicals, internal links, redirects, and sitemaps. Conflicting signals can cause search engines to choose another URL.
- 03 Use one canonical Multiple canonical declarations can make the signal ambiguous. Emit one clear URL per page.

## Related documentation

- [HTML Living Standard: Links](https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/links.html#link-type-canonical)
- [Google Search Central: Consolidate Duplicate Urls](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/consolidate-duplicate-urls)