What Is rel=”noopener” in WordPress? (Explained)

In the world of web development, small details can make a big difference in ensuring your website is both secure and efficient.

One such detail, often overlooked by many, is the use of rel="noopener" in HTML links.

While it may seem like just another technical term, understanding how rel="noopener" functions, particularly in the context of WordPress, can enhance both the performance and security of your website.

This article will provide a comprehensive explanation of what rel="noopener" is, why it’s important, and how you can implement it effectively within your WordPress website.

What Does rel="noopener" Mean?

To understand rel="noopener", let’s first break down the elements of this attribute.

In HTML, the rel attribute specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked document.

This attribute is often used in conjunction with links (<a> tags) to establish the nature of the connection between pages.

The noopener value, when applied to a link, tells the browser to prevent the new page from gaining access to the originating page’s window object via JavaScript.

In simpler terms, it limits the ability of a newly opened tab or window to interact with the original page that contained the link.

This measure of isolation is particularly important for security reasons, which we will explore in more detail below.

Why Is rel="noopener" Important for WordPress Sites?

When using WordPress, especially with the popular Gutenberg block editor, it’s common to include external links in blog posts, pages, or even widgets.

Often, these links open in a new tab, using the target="_blank" attribute. While this functionality is user-friendly, it can introduce potential security risks if not handled properly.

When you open a link in a new tab, the linked page can access the original page’s window.opener property.

This access can lead to malicious activity, such as phishing attacks or unauthorized manipulation of your original page’s content.

The rel="noopener" attribute helps mitigate these risks by preventing the new page from accessing the original window object, thus protecting your site from potential security vulnerabilities.

Preventing Security Risks

By implementing this rel="noopener", you can prevent attackers from exploiting this feature.

Without it rel="noopener", a page opened from your WordPress site might be able to execute JavaScript that could manipulate or alter your original content.

Consider the scenario where a malicious actor inserts a script into an external website.

If a user clicks a link to this site and the link is opened in a new tab without rel="noopener", the external site could manipulate the page from which the user came.

This could result in the redirection of the user to a malicious site, theft of sensitive information, or an injection of malicious scripts.

With rel="noopener", the external page won’t be able to access the window.opener object, effectively preventing such malicious interactions.

Improving Performance

In addition to improving security, using rel="noopener" can also enhance the performance of your WordPress site.

When a new tab is opened, and the target page has access to the window.opener property, the browser needs to load additional resources and handle more interactions.

This can slow down the browser, particularly if multiple links are opening new tabs with active JavaScript.

By applying rel="noopener", you reduce the number of unnecessary interactions and allow the browser to load faster, improving the overall user experience on your site.

How Does rel="noopener" Differ from rel="noreferrer"?

Both rel="noopener" and rel="noreferrer" are used to improve security and privacy when opening external links.

However, they serve different purposes, and understanding the distinction between the two is key to making the right choice for your WordPress site.

rel="noreferrer" Explained

The rel="noreferrer" attribute prevents the browser from sending the referring URL to the linked page.

This means the external site will not know where the traffic originated. Essentially, it enhances privacy by masking the source of the click.

While rel="noreferrer" does prevent access to the window.opener object (just like rel="noopener"), it also removes the referrer information, which might be necessary for analytics or other tracking purposes.

When to Use Each Attribute

• Use rel="noopener" when your primary concern is security and performance. If you don’t need to hide the referrer data and want the link to open securely without risking any malicious interaction, rel="noopener" is sufficient.
• Use rel="noreferrer" if you are also concerned about privacy and do not want the external site to know where the user clicked from. This is particularly useful when you don’t want any tracking of your site’s visitors on external platforms.

In some cases, you might even want to use both, rel="noopener noreferrer", which combines the security benefits of noopener with the privacy enhancements of noreferrer.

How to Add rel="noopener" in WordPress

Manually Adding rel="noopener" to Links

If you are working with custom HTML or editing links directly in the WordPress post or page editor, adding rel="noopener" is a straightforward process.

Simply find the links that open in a new tab and add the rel="noopener" attribute to them. Here’s how:

<a href="https://external-site.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit External Site</a>

This ensures that every link that opens in a new tab is secured against malicious scripts from the external page.

Using WordPress Plugins to Automatically Add rel="noopener"

For WordPress users who prefer not to manually add the attribute to every link, there are plugins available that can automate this process.

Plugins like WP External Links and External Links allow you to easily add rel="noopener" (and other attributes like rel="nofollow") to all external links that open in new tabs.

1. Install and activate the plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
2. Configure the settings to automatically apply rel="noopener" to all external links with the target="_blank" attribute.
3. Save your settings, and the plugin will handle the rest, ensuring that all relevant external links are secured across your website.

Ensuring Proper Link Management with Gutenberg

If you’re using the Gutenberg block editor, applying rel="noopener" is easy, as it allows you to add custom attributes to your links without writing code.

1. Edit the link in the Gutenberg editor.
2. In the link settings, find the “Advanced” section.
3. Here, you can manually add the rel="noopener" attribute.
4. Save the changes and publish or update your post.

This method allows for a simple, user-friendly way to add the noopener attribute to external links, without needing to touch the HTML code directly.

Why Not Use rel="noopener" it for All Links?

While rel="noopener" is an excellent tool for securing external links, you don’t necessarily need to apply it to all links on your WordPress site.

For internal links (links that lead to pages within your own website), there is generally no need to use rel="noopener".

These links do not involve any security risks or performance issues because they stay within the same domain.

Additionally, applying rel="noopener" to internal links can create unnecessary code clutter and make it harder to manage your site’s links in the future.

It’s best practice to limit its usage to external links that open in new tabs (target="_blank").

Final Thoughts

Implementing rel="noopener" on external links in your WordPress website is a simple yet effective way to improve both security and performance.

It protects your site from potential malicious scripts, prevents unwanted interference from external pages, and contributes to a faster, smoother user experience.

Whether you’re manually adding the attribute or using a plugin to automate the process, it’s crucial to stay vigilant and ensure that all external links that open in new tabs are protected.

By doing so, you not only improve the security of your site but also enhance its overall functionality and trustworthiness.

With the growing need for better privacy and security practices online, rel="noopener" is a small but powerful step towards a safer, more user-friendly WordPress website.