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URL design guidelines

Examples of poorly designed URLs

The following are examples of poorly designed URLs.

Example 1

http://www.dept.qld.gov.au/dds/search/openSeminar.do;jsessionid=G3J0DLxbVqpRJhbVpPST3xh3YLbpRz31Tyy7Wddhr3GYdT1vTCLT!2100740619?placeID=0&keyword=fashion&call_centre_mode=false&externalCallMode=false&breadCrumbsBase=%3Ca+href%3D%22%2F%22+title%3D%22Home%22%3EHome%3C%2Fa%3E&accredited=true&seminar_id=14442&seminarTypefilter=0&ins_spec=false

Issues Principles
  • Too long
  • Extremely unclear
  • Not truncatable
  • Clearly shows underlying technology
  • Session ID present
  • Not easily addressable
  • Mixed case
  • Contains numerous instances of punctuation, special characters, underscores
  • Contains query phrases

Example 2

http://www.dept.qld.gov.au/DOCUMENTS/CURRENT/D/DocumentAbcA67.pdf

Issues Principles
  • Use of numbers instead of descriptive title
  • Mixed case
  • Temporal nature 'CURRENT'

Example 3

http://www.qld.gov.au/dept/jobs/pathways/index.jsp?group=group&type= typea&title=job

Issues Principles
  • Not clear
  • Contains query phrases

Example 4

http://www.jobs.qld.gov.au/search/joblist.asp

Issues Principles
  • Not persistent
  • Not addressable

Example 5

http://seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=60&PageNumber =1&JobID=10124560

Issues Principles
  • Not clear
  • Mixed case
  • Contains temporary identifiers

Example 6

http://www.qld.gov.au/resources_for_queenslanders/one_thing_or_another/

Issues Principles
  • Contains underscores

Example 7

http://networks.silicon.com/webwatch/0,39024667,39161662,00.htm

Issues Principles
  • Too long
  • Use of numbers instead of descriptive title
  • Shows underlying technology

Example 8

http://www.support.department.qld.gov.au/qt/FORMSDAT.nsf/FORMS/QF2367/$file/F2367_es.pdf

Issues Principles
  • Too long
  • Use of numbers instead of descriptive title
  • Mixed case

Example 9

http://www.gamblingandracing.somestate.gov.au/Documents/Race%20Bookmakers%20Agent%20Licence%20Renewal%20Application%202007.rtf

Issues Principles
  • Too long
  • Mixed case
  • Use of spaces in filename resulting in insertion of %20

Example 10

http://www-304.ibm.com/jct03001c /services/learning/ites.wss/us/en?pageType=course_list&subChapter=327&subChapterInd=S®ion=us&subChapterName=Cisco+certification&country=us

Issues Principles
  • Too long
  • Mixed case
  • Contains query phrases
Last updated:
10 June 2021