---
title: "Link"
description: "The Pro Link control stores a link as an object with url, title, opensInNewTab, nofollow and cssClasses, while the URL control keeps a plain string."
url: "https://www.lazyblocks.com/docs/blocks-controls/link/"
lastUpdated: 2026-09-23
source: "blocks-controls/link.mdx"
---
# Link [Pro]

Link control is a link input with title, target, nofollow and CSS class options. The URL control stores a plain URL string, while this one stores the whole set as an object.

## Control Settings

### Link Fields

All four are on by default, and each one hides a row of the link popover. The saved object keeps all five properties either way, so a hidden field leaves its property empty rather than dropping it.

- **Show Title Field** (`show_title_field`) - the Text field that fills `title`
- **Show "Open in new tab" Toggle** (`show_target_field`) - the **Open in new tab** checkbox
- **Show "Mark as nofollow" Toggle** (`show_nofollow_field`) - the **Mark as nofollow** checkbox
- **Show CSS Classes Field** (`show_classes_field`) - the **Additional CSS class(es)** checkbox and the input it reveals, which turns commas into spaces and collapses repeated spaces

### Link Suggestions

- **Link Suggestions** (`link_suggestions`) - `Automatic` by default, which searches every viewable post type. `Disable suggestions` turns the search off, and picking one post type limits the search to it
- **Show Initial Suggestions** (`show_initial_link_suggestions`) - off by default. Lists suggestions before anything is typed, and the row is hidden while Link Suggestions is `Disable suggestions`
- **Rich Preview** (`rich_preview`) - off by default. Shows the target's site title and image inside the field

## Output Format

The Link control returns an object with the following properties:

| Property | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `url` | string | The link URL |
| `title` | string | Custom link title/text |
| `opensInNewTab` | boolean | Whether to open in new tab |
| `nofollow` | boolean | Whether to add nofollow attribute |
| `cssClasses` | string | Custom CSS classes |

## Usage Examples

### Basic Link Output

```php title="PHP" /$attributes['control_name']/
<?php
$link = $attributes['control_name'];
if ( $link && $link['url'] ) :
    $target = $link['opensInNewTab'] ? ' target="_blank"' : '';
    $rel_parts = [];
    if ( $link['opensInNewTab'] ) {
        $rel_parts[] = 'noopener';
        $rel_parts[] = 'noreferrer';
    }
    if ( $link['nofollow'] ) {
        $rel_parts[] = 'nofollow';
    }
    $rel = $rel_parts ? ' rel="' . implode( ' ', $rel_parts ) . '"' : '';
    $classes = $link['cssClasses'] ? ' class="' . esc_attr( $link['cssClasses'] ) . '"' : '';
    $title = $link['title'] ?: __( 'Click here', 'your-text-domain' );
?>
    <a href="<?php echo esc_url( $link['url'] ); ?>"<?php echo $target . $rel . $classes; ?>>
        <?php echo esc_html( $title ); ?>
    </a>
<?php endif; ?>
```

### Button with Link

```php title="PHP" /$attributes['control_name']/
<?php
$link = $attributes['control_name'];
if ( $link && $link['url'] ) :
    $attrs = [
        'href'  => esc_url( $link['url'] ),
        'class' => 'button ' . esc_attr( $link['cssClasses'] ?? '' ),
    ];

    if ( $link['opensInNewTab'] ) {
        $attrs['target'] = '_blank';
        $attrs['rel'] = 'noopener noreferrer';
    }

    if ( $link['nofollow'] ) {
        $attrs['rel'] = ( $attrs['rel'] ?? '' ) . ' nofollow';
    }

    $attr_string = '';
    foreach ( $attrs as $key => $value ) {
        $attr_string .= sprintf( ' %s="%s"', $key, trim( $value ) );
    }
?>
    <a<?php echo $attr_string; ?>>
        <?php echo esc_html( $link['title'] ?: __( 'Learn More', 'your-text-domain' ) ); ?>
    </a>
<?php endif; ?>
```

### Handlebars Usage

```hbs title="Basic Link" /control_name/
{{#if control_name.url}}
  <a href="{{control_name.url}}"
     {{#if control_name.opensInNewTab}}target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"{{/if}}
     {{#if control_name.cssClasses}}class="{{control_name.cssClasses}}"{{/if}}>
    {{#if control_name.title}}
      {{control_name.title}}
    {{else}}
      Click here
    {{/if}}
  </a>
{{/if}}
```

### Post Meta

```php title="Post Meta" /get_lzb_meta( 'control_meta_name' )/
<?php
$link = get_lzb_meta( 'control_meta_name' );
if ( $link && ! empty( $link['url'] ) ) {
    $target = ! empty( $link['opensInNewTab'] ) ? '_blank' : '_self';
    $rel = [];

    if ( ! empty( $link['opensInNewTab'] ) ) {
        $rel[] = 'noopener';
        $rel[] = 'noreferrer';
    }
    if ( ! empty( $link['nofollow'] ) ) {
        $rel[] = 'nofollow';
    }

    printf(
        '<a href="%1$s" target="%2$s"%3$s%4$s>%5$s</a>',
        esc_url( $link['url'] ),
        esc_attr( $target ),
        $rel ? ' rel="' . esc_attr( implode( ' ', $rel ) ) . '"' : '',
        ! empty( $link['cssClasses'] ) ? ' class="' . esc_attr( $link['cssClasses'] ) . '"' : '',
        esc_html( $link['title'] ?: __( 'Read More', 'your-text-domain' ) )
    );
}
?>
```

- Always use `esc_url()` when outputting URLs to prevent XSS attacks.
- When `opensInNewTab` is true, always include `rel="noopener noreferrer"` for security.
- The Link control stores data as an object, so access properties using array syntax in PHP.

## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.lazyblocks.com/llms.txt
> Fetch every page in a single file at: https://www.lazyblocks.com/llms-full.txt