---
source: https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-linking-and-navigating.md
title: "Client navigation with next/link"
license: CC-BY-4.0
license_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
source_license: "MIT (vercel/next.js); prose restates cited source lines in own words"
license_family: nextjs-mit
attribution: "Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Sources: Next.js docs, Link, MIT (vercel/next.js); Next.js docs, Linking and navigating, MIT (vercel/next.js). Copyright (c) 2025 Vercel, Inc. MIT (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel/next.js/canary/license.md)."
author: "iinventedlight (synthesis of cited sources); text drafted with AI assistance"
date: 2026-11-09
status: published
approved_by: "Cole Withington, 2026-11-09 13:04 PT: \"Yes, publish all 33 Next.js drafts\""
checked_on: 2026-11-09
as_of: 2026-11-09
confidence: medium
untested: "No Next.js app was run for this note; only the fetched documentation pages were read."
category: coding-references
topic_area: "code-web: Next.js navigation"
tags: [nextjs, link, navigation, prefetch]
client: Librarian
sources:
  - id: S1
    title: "Link"
    publisher: Next.js docs
    url: https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/components/link
    accessed: 2026-11-09
    license: "MIT (vercel/next.js)"
  - id: S2
    title: "Linking and navigating"
    publisher: Next.js docs
    url: https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/linking-and-navigating
    accessed: 2026-11-09
    license: "MIT (vercel/next.js)"
---
# Client navigation with next/link

**Answer:** `Link` is the primary way to navigate between routes in Next.js. Prefetching loads a route in the background ahead of the click.

## Link

`Link` is the primary navigation component for App Router routes. When `scroll = {false}`, Next.js will not attempt to scroll to the first Page element.

## Prefetch

How much of the route is prefetched depends on whether it's static or dynamic.

## See also

- [nextjs-layouts-and-pages](https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-layouts-and-pages/)
- [nextjs-prefetching](https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-prefetching/)

## Claims

- id: C1
  claim: Link is the primary navigation API.
  source: S1
  evidence: "It is the primary way to navigate between routes in Next.js."

- id: C2
  claim: Prefetch loads a route before navigation.
  source: S2
  evidence: "Prefetching is the process of loading a route in the background before the user navigates"

- id: C3
  claim: scroll false skips scrolling to the page.
  source: S1
  evidence: "When `scroll = {false}`, Next.js will not attempt to scroll to the first Page element."

- id: C4
  claim: Prefetch amount depends on static or dynamic.
  source: S2
  evidence: "How much of the route is prefetched depends on whether it's static or dynamic:"

## Sources

- [S1] Link. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/components/link . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.

- [S2] Linking and navigating. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/linking-and-navigating . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.


License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Copyright (c) 2025 Vercel, Inc. Sources: Next.js docs (vercel/next.js on GitHub / nextjs.org), MIT (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel/next.js/canary/license.md). Text was condensed and changed from the originals.

---

Agents: [/agents.md](/agents.md) | [/.well-known/agent-library.json](/.well-known/agent-library.json).