Link Library

What is Link Library?

Link Library is a 21-year-old WordPress plugin that turns the native WordPress Links Manager into a browsable, searchable directory. Developed by Yannick Lefebvre, it lets you display link categories and their associated links on any page using a simple shortcode. As of April 26, 2026, the plugin runs at version 7.9.2 with 10K+ active installs. It holds a 4.7/5 rating from 97 reviews, with 79% of those being five-star ratings.

This tool is often the answer when users search for how to create a link library in WordPress. It supports multiple display modes, user submissions with moderation, and even RSS feed previews for links that carry feed information. The plugin has been maintained for over two decades, which explains its stability and the depth of its configuration options.

Key Features of Link Library

• Category-Based Link Display – Show all link categories and their links, or filter to specific categories using numeric category IDs.
• Single-Category AJAX Mode – Display one category at a time and load others via AJAX or HTML GET queries based on user clicks.
• Search Box Integration – Let visitors search through your link collection and find results based on their queries.
• User Submission Form – Accept link suggestions from site visitors and moderate them before they appear in the directory.
• RSS Feed Generation – Produce an RSS feed for your link collection so subscribers can track new additions.
• Inline Feed Previews – Show the latest items from a link’s RSS feed directly within the link list or in a separate preview window.
• Unlimited Configurations – Create separate settings sets for different pages, each with its own category selection and display style.
• Simple Custom Post Order Compatibility – Define custom ordering for categories and links when paired with the Simple Custom Post Order plugin.

Who Should Use Link Library?

Link Library suits site owners who need a straightforward link directory WordPress plugin without building a custom solution. It works for resource pages, partner directories, blogrolls, or curated link collections. The plugin requires no coding skills — you paste a shortcode into a page and choose your settings from the admin panel. With 79% five-star ratings from over 97 reviews, it appeals to beginners who want a reliable, tested tool.

You can use it to display links with descriptions WordPress-style, showing each link’s name, URL, and description in a clean list. The user submission feature makes it useful for community-driven directories where visitors suggest links. Despite its age, the plugin stays current — tested up to WordPress 6.9.4 — so it works on modern sites. If you are evaluating the best directory plugin WordPress options, this one offers decades of real-world use behind it.

Installation & Setup

Install Link Library by downloading the plugin and uploading link-library.php to /wp-content/plugins/, then activating it in the WordPress Admin. Setup is beginner-friendly: create a page and add the shortcode [link-library] to display all categories and links. For more control, find your category IDs by hovering over category names in the admin, then add them to the shortcode as [link-library categorylistoverride="28"] to show only specific categories.

Support & Community

The support data for the two months leading up to the last update shows 1 open thread and 0 resolved threads, giving a 0% resolution rate. This is a low-volume support queue — only one thread went unanswered — so it does not indicate widespread issues. The rating breakdown tells a clearer story: 79% of reviewers gave 9% gave one star, suggesting most users find the plugin works as documented. French, Danish, Italian, and Serbian translations are available, contributed by community members like Luc Capronnier and Gianni Diurno. Official documentation exists at the plugin’s documentation site, which covers configuration details and shortcode parameters.