What are "broken links" in web design?

Broken links in web design refer to hyperlinks that lead to non-existent pages. This situation commonly arises when the target page has been moved, deleted, or the URL has been altered without updating the link, rendering it inaccessible to users.

Broken links can significantly impact user experience on a website, as they can lead to frustration and an impression of unreliability. Additionally, search engines may rank a website lower if it contains too many broken links, which can negatively affect search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. To maintain an effective and user-friendly website, it's essential for web designers and developers to regularly check and fix broken links.