Link is not a browser — it's a text-based web viewer that strips away graphics, images, and styling to show only words and links
Link is a program that lets you view web pages using only text and keyboard commands. It was built in the 1990s when internet connections were slow and computers had limited memory. Instead of loading images, colors, and layouts like Chrome or Firefox do, Link shows you the plain text of a page plus a numbered list of clickable links. You navigate by typing numbers or arrow keys rather than clicking a mouse.
The confusion happens because Link does open web pages — the same pages your regular browser opens. But it does not render them the way a browser does. A browser is designed to display the full visual experience a website creator intended. Link is designed to get you the information as fast as possible, using almost no system resources.
Key Takeaways
- Link displays web pages as text only, with numbered links you navigate using your keyboard, not a mouse.
- It was created when internet speeds were measured in kilobits and computers had very little memory, and it still works that way today.
- Link runs in a terminal window and requires you to type commands rather than point and click.
- It is still used by people on very slow connections, people who prefer keyboard navigation, and system administrators who need to check websites from a server command line.
How Link works differently from a browser
When you open a web page in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, the browser downloads the HTML code, the CSS styling, all the images, videos, and scripts, then assembles them into the visual page you see. This takes time and memory. Link does something much simpler: it downloads the HTML, strips out everything except text and link addresses, and displays a numbered list.
To follow a link in Chrome, you click it with your mouse. In Link, you type the number next to the link you want. To go back, you press the left arrow key. To scroll down, you press the space bar. There is no address bar you click into — you type g to "go to" a URL, then type the address. Everything is keyboard-driven because Link was built before mice were standard on the internet.
This also means Link cannot run JavaScript, display videos, show images, or render modern web design. Many modern websites will not work in Link at all because they depend on JavaScript to function. But for reading news, checking email, or viewing text-heavy pages, Link works fine and loads in seconds on a slow connection.
Who actually uses Link today
Link is rarely used by regular people anymore because internet speeds are fast and computers have plenty of memory. But it still has real uses. System administrators use Link to check whether a website is up and responding from a server, because they can run it over an SSH connection without needing a graphical display. People on very slow satellite or dial-up connections sometimes use it because it is the fastest way to get information. Some people with certain disabilities prefer keyboard-only navigation and use Link for that reason.
Link is also used in automated testing — programmers write scripts that use Link to visit web pages and check that the text content is correct, without waiting for images and styling to load. It is a tool for a specific job, not a replacement for a regular browser.
The difference between Link and a real browser
| Feature | Link | Chrome, Firefox, Safari |
|---|---|---|
| Displays images | No | Yes |
| Shows colors and layout | No | Yes |
| Runs JavaScript | No | Yes |
| Uses a mouse to navigate | No — keyboard only | Yes |
| Runs in a terminal window | Yes | No |
| Memory and bandwidth needed | Very low | High |
Where Link came from and why it still exists
Link was written by Thomas R. Bruce at the University of Illinois in 1992. At that time, most people connected to the internet through dial-up modems that transferred data at 14.4 kilobits per second — roughly 1,000 times slower than a typical home internet connection today. Downloading a single image could take 30 seconds. Link was built to let people read web pages without waiting for images to load.
The internet got faster, computers got more powerful, and graphical browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer took over. Link became obsolete for most people. But it was never removed from Linux and Unix systems because it was small, reliable, and still useful for specific tasks. It is still maintained today, and you can read it for free if you want to try it.
How to tell Link apart from other text-based tools
Link is sometimes confused with Lynx, which is a different text-based web viewer that came out around the same time. Both do similar things — they show web pages as text only and navigate with the keyboard. The main difference is that Lynx is older and Link has a few more features. Both are rarely used except by people who specifically need a text-only viewer.
Link is also different from a command-line tool like curl or wget, which read web pages but do not display them in a readable format. Those tools are for programmers and system administrators who want to automate downloading files or checking whether a server is responding. Link is meant to be used by a person reading a page.
Why you probably do not need Link
If you are reading this on a regular computer with a normal internet connection, you do not need Link. Your browser is faster, shows you more information, and works with modern websites. Link exists for edge cases: very slow connections, automated testing, accessibility needs, or system administration tasks.
The only reason to try Link is curiosity — to see what the web looked like in the 1990s, or to understand how web pages work underneath all the visual design. If you do want to try it, you can install it on Linux or macOS through a package manager, or read it from the official Link website. But for everyday web browsing, your regular browser is the right tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Link to browse the modern web?
Partially. Link can display text-based pages like news sites or Wikipedia, but many modern websites rely on JavaScript and will not work. Social media sites, streaming services, and web applications will not function in Link. It is better suited to older, simpler websites.
Is Link faster than my regular browser?
Yes, significantly faster on slow connections because it does not read images, videos, or styling. On a fast connection, the difference is barely noticeable because modern browsers are already very quick. Link's advantage is on dial-up, satellite, or other slow networks.
Do I need to pay for Link?
No. Link is free and open-source software. You can read it at no cost and use it on any computer you own.
Can I use Link on my phone?
Not easily. Link is designed for computers with a terminal window and keyboard. There are mobile apps that mimic Link's text-only approach, but Link itself does not have an official mobile version.
Why would anyone use Link instead of a browser?
System administrators use it to test websites from a server. People on very slow connections use it because it is faster. Some people prefer keyboard-only navigation for accessibility reasons. Programmers use it in automated scripts to check that web pages contain the right text.