Canonical URL

A canonical URL is the preferred version of a page, declared via a link rel=canonical tag, used to consolidate signals across duplicate or near-duplicate URLs.

Updated June 15, 2026

In depth

For AEO, canonicals prevent AI engines from citing a mirrored, syndicated, or parameter-variant URL instead of the source. Every route on an AI-native site should ship an absolute canonical tag pointing to the same-origin URL.

Related terms

Schema markup