As I was not able to find documentation for silent links, I asked ask.discourse.com for it.
Could you comment on its answer or evolve this into a documentation topic?
Silent Links in Discourse
A silent link is any Discourse link with ?silent=true added to its URL. When used, this suppresses notifications for the author of the linked post or topic.
How to use:
Add ?silent=true to the end of your topic or post link.
Example:
https://yoursite.com/t/topic-title/123?silent=true
Benefits for Documentation Index Files
Including silent links in documentation index topics and knowledge bases is highly recommended for several reasons:
- Prevents Notification Spam:
Frequent documentation links (e.g., common guides from index or summary topics) can generate unnecessary notifications for authors. Using silent links ensures authors aren’t overwhelmed by repeated, automated notifications. - Improves Usability:
Users get direct access to reference material without unintended side effects. This is especially important in knowledge bases or FAQs where many users may click or auto-link the same content regularly. - Enhances Clean Communication:
Facilitates easy navigation for users while keeping notification streams clean for your contributors and moderators. - Essential for Internal/Automated Linking:
When using features like Watched Words (link) or automated curation scripts, silent links let you build rich, interconnected documentation without accidentally pinging authors every time their content is referenced. - Professional Documentation Experience:
Demonstrates attention to user and staff experience, supporting best practices for larger or growing communities.