---
title: "The LinkHandler API"
manual: "TYPO3 Explained"
version: "13.4"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:linkhandler@13.4"
source: "ApiOverview/LinkHandling/Linkhandler/Index.rst"
rendered: "2026-09-28T12:45:33+00:00"
---

# The LinkHandler API {#linkhandler}

The LinkHandler API currently consists of 7 LinkHandler classes and the
`\TYPO3\CMS\Backend\LinkHandler\LinkHandlerInterface`. The
LinkHandlerInterface can be implemented to create custom LinkHandlers.

<!-- TODO: no Markdown rendering for "versionchanged" -->

Due to the integration of EXT:recordlist into EXT:backend the namespace of
LinkHandlers has changed from
\TYPO3\CMS\Recordlist\LinkHandler
to
\TYPO3\CMS\Backend\LinkHandler.
For TYPO3 v12 the moved classes are available as an alias under the old
namespace to allow extensions to be compatible with TYPO3 v11 and v12.

Most LinkHandlers cannot receive additional configuration, they are marked as
`@internal` and contain neither hooks nor events. They are therefore
of interest to Core developers only.

Current LinkHandlers:

-   [The PageLinkHandler](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:pagelinkhandler@13.4): for linking pages and content
-   [The RecordLinkHandler](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:recordlinkhandler@13.4): for linking any kind of record
-   UrlLinkHandler: for linking external urls
-   FileLinkHandler: for linking files in the [File abstraction layer (FAL)](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:fal@13.4)
-   FolderLinkHandler: for linking to directories
-   MailLinkHandler: for linking email addresses
-   TelephoneLinkHandler: for linking phone numbers

> [!NOTE]
> In the system extension `core` there are also classes ending on
> "LinkHandler". However those implement the interface `LinkHandlingInterface`
> and are part of the LinkHandling API, not the LinkHandler API.

The links are now stored in the database with the syntax
`<a href="t3://record?identifier=anIdentifier&amp;uid=456">A link</a>`.

1.  TypoScript is used to generate the actual link in the frontend.

    **EXT:some_extension/Configuration/Sets/SomeExtension/setup.typoscript**

    ```typoscript
    config.recordLinks.anIdentifier {
        // Do not force link generation when the record is hidden
        forceLink = 0
        typolink {
            parameter = 123
            additionalParams.data = field:uid
            additionalParams.wrap = &tx_example_pi1[item]=|&tx_example_pi1[controller]=Item&tx_example_pi1[action]=show
        }
    }
    ```

    > [!WARNING]
    > **Attention**
    >
    > Do not change the identifier after links have been created  using the LinkHandler. The identifier will be
    > stored as part of the link in the database.

## LinkHandler page TSconfig options {#linkhandler-pagetsconfig}

The minimal page TSconfig configuration is:

**EXT:some_extension/Configuration/page.tsconfig**

```typoscript
TCEMAIN.linkHandler.anIdentifier {
    handler = TYPO3\CMS\Backend\LinkHandler\RecordLinkHandler
    label = LLL:EXT:extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:link.customTab
    configuration {
        table = tx_example_domain_model_item
    }
}
```

See [Link handler configuration](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:link-handler-configuration@13.4) for all available options.

### Example: news records from one storage pid {#linkhandler-pagetsconfig-example-news-records}

The following configuration hides the page tree and shows news records only
from the defined storage page:

**EXT:some_extension/Configuration/page.tsconfig**

```typoscript
TCEMAIN.linkHandler.news {
    handler = TYPO3\CMS\Backend\LinkHandler\RecordLinkHandler
    label = News
    configuration {
        table = tx_news_domain_model_news
        storagePid = 123
        hidePageTree = 1
    }
    displayAfter = email
}
```

It is possible to have another configuration using another storagePid which
also contains news records.

This configuration shows a reduced page tree starting at page with uid 42:

**EXT:some_extension/Configuration/page.tsconfig**

```typoscript
TCEMAIN.linkHandler.bookreports {
    handler = TYPO3\CMS\Backend\LinkHandler\RecordLinkHandler
    label = Book Reports
    configuration {
        table = tx_news_domain_model_news
        storagePid = 42
        pageTreeMountPoints = 42
        hidePageTree = 0
    }
}
```

The page TSconfig of the LinkHandler is being used in sysext `backend`
in class `\TYPO3\CMS\Backend\LinkHandler\RecordLinkHandler`
which does not contain Hooks.

> [!WARNING]
> **Attention**
>
> It is important, that the `storagePid` is hard coded in TSConfig, because using
> constants, for example from the site configuration, will not work here.

## LinkHandler TypoScript options {#linkhandler-typoscript}

A configuration could look like this:

**EXT:some_extension/Configuration/Sets/SomeExtension/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
config.recordLinks.anIdentifier {
    forceLink = 0

    typolink {
        parameter = 123
        additionalParams.data = field:uid
        additionalParams.wrap = &tx_example_pi1[item]=|
    }
}
```

The TypoScript Configuration of the LinkHandler is being used in sysext `frontend`
in class `\TYPO3\CMS\Frontend\Typolink\DatabaseRecordLinkBuilder`.

### Example: news records displayed on fixed detail page {#linkhandler-typoscript-example-news-records}

The following displays the link to the news on a detail page:

**EXT:some_extension/Configuration/Sets/SomeExtension/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
config.recordLinks.news {
   typolink {
      parameter = 123
      additionalParams.data = field:uid
      additionalParams.wrap = &tx_news_pi1[controller]=News&tx_news_pi1[action]=detail&tx_news_pi1[news]=|
   }
}
```

Once more if the book reports that are also saved as `tx_news_domain_model_news` record should be displayed on their own
detail page you can do it like this:

**EXT:some_extension/Configuration/Sets/SomeExtension/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
config.recordLinks.bookreports  {
   typolink {
      parameter = 987
      additionalParams.data = field:uid
      additionalParams.wrap = &tx_news_pi1[controller]=News&tx_news_pi1[action]=detail&tx_news_pi1[news]=|
   }
}
```