jQuery Snippets
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Code Snippet

There are times where you may want/need to disable a text link or set of links on your sites temporarily using jQuery.

$('.my_link').click(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
});

You could also have it do other things when clicked, such as letting the user know that it’s disabled or that it’s coming soon.

$('.my_link').click(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    alert('This link is temporarily unavailable.');
});

Note

It is generally good practice to place your jQuery code/function inside the document load function so that the action takes place ONLY after the document has finished loading. This ensures that all of the page elements that you may be selecting are in place before running the code on them.

Another way to do this is to use jQuery to add a class of .disabled to the HTML link. And then have some CSS that disables the link. Though this seems like a lot more effort compared to the above. But what it does is keeps the link from responding to cursor or touch events

$('.my_link').addClass('disabled');
.disabled {
    pointer-events: none;
    text-decoration: line-through;
    color: black;
}
<a class="my_link disabled" href="my-link.html">My Link</a>

Example

My Disabled Link

jQuery Notes:

  • To use jQuery on your site, it must first be downloaded from the official jQuery site and linked to in your document <head>, or linked to via a CDN in your document <head>
  • It is generally good practice to place your jQuery code/function inside the document load function so that the action takes place ONLY after the document has finished loading
  • When using jQuery, single or double quotation marks are acceptable and work identically to one another; choose whichever you prefer, and stay consistent
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