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Guilherme Mazui

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What is the Difference Between an Absolute and a Relative URL?

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The main difference between an absolute and a relative URL lies in the amount of information they contain and how they are resolved:

  • Absolute URL: Contains all the necessary information to locate a resource, such as the protocol, server, path, and resource. It is a complete address that leads to a file or resource, and can be used unchanged on any page.
  • Relative URL: Locates a resource using an absolute URL as a starting point. It typically consists only of the path, and optionally, the resource, but no scheme or server. The complete URL of the target is specified by concatenating the absolute and relative URLs.

Here are some key points to consider when choosing between absolute and relative URLs:

  1. Portability: Absolute URLs are more portable and can be used on any page, while relative URLs are more convenient for small projects or when you want to quickly get something up and running.
  2. SEO: Absolute URLs can improve your site's SEO, as they make it harder for scraper programs to extract information from your site directory and prevent duplicate content.
  3. Loading Times: Pages using relative URLs generally load faster than ones using absolute URLs, although the speed difference is minimal.
  4. Usage: You must use absolute URLs when referring to links on different servers, while relative URLs can only be used to reference links on the same server as the page containing them.

In summary, absolute URLs are more reliable and preferable for most use cases, while relative URLs can be useful for small projects or when you want to quickly get something up and running. However, the choice between the two depends on the specific needs of your site.

On this page
  • What is the Difference Between an Absolute and a Relative URL?
  • Comparative Table: an Absolute vs a Relative URL

    • Comparative Table: an Absolute vs a Relative URL

    The main difference between an absolute and a relative URL lies in the level of detail required to locate a resource. Here is a table summarizing the differences between absolute and relative URLs:

    Absolute URL Relative URL
    Contains all the information necessary to locate a resource, including the protocol, domain name, and path. Locates a resource using an absolute URL as a starting point, typically consisting only of the path and optionally the resource, but no scheme or server.
    Example: https://www.example.com/page.html Example: /relative-page.html or ../relative-page.html
    Used for external links, links to different domains, or when the resource is not on the same server as the referring page. Used for internal links, links to resources on the same server or within the same domain, or when the referrer and resource are closely related.
    Pages that use absolute URLs generally load more slowly than pages that use relative URLs, although the difference is minuscule. Pages that use relative URLs generally load more quickly than pages that use absolute URLs, although the difference is minuscule.

    In summary, absolute URLs provide a complete address to locate a resource, while relative URLs rely on an absolute URL as a starting point to locate a resource within the same server or domain. Relative URLs are often used for internal links and can result in faster loading pages compared to absolute URLs.

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    Guilherme Mazui

    Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.