MD053 - Link and Image Reference Definitions
Link and image reference definitions should be needed.
Why This Rule Exists
Unused reference definitions clutter documents and may indicate dead links or incomplete edits. Keeping only used definitions improves maintainability.
Examples
Incorrect
Check out the [documentation](https://docs.example.com).
[unused]: https://example.com
[also-unused]: https://other.com
The definitions are never used.
Correct
Check out the [documentation][docs].
[docs]: https://docs.example.com
Or remove unused definitions:
Check out the [documentation](https://docs.example.com).
Configuration
[MD053]
ignored_definitions = [] # Definitions to ignore (e.g., for includes)
Ignoring Definitions
[MD053]
ignored_definitions = ["//", "TODO"]
When to Disable
- Documents with definitions used in included content
- Templates with conditional reference usage
- Files serving as definition libraries
Rule Details
- Rule ID: MD053
- Aliases: link-image-reference-definitions
- Category: Links
- Severity: Warning
- Auto-fix: No