get_the_author_link() Should default to rel="author"

[Ipstenu]

Per ​this WP.org forum post, the linktype of author would comply more with w3c's wibbly wobbly guidelines.

Changing external to author

More appropriate would be rel="author external" - these links usually leads to external websites.

They usually lead to /author/username in my experience. When I click on the post author in a post, I usually go to the in-blog page for that author.

I believe sirzooro is correct.

In this instance the get_the_author_link() gets the website URL that is entered into the text field on a user's profile which is usually an external URL (unless someone manually enters a link to the site), not the users post archive page.

The link to the users post archive page can be retrieved using the_author_posts_link() which already adds a rel="author" attribute.

Improved version of Ipstenu's patch, using 'author external' as rel

Replying to husobj:

I believe sirzooro is correct.

In this instance the get_the_author_link() gets the website URL that is entered into the text field on a user's profile which is usually an external URL (unless someone manually enters a link to the site), not the users post archive page.

I agree. If there was a easy way to check the url to be external, it would be nicer to check that and apply external if it really is an external link. Provided a new patch (based on Ipstenu's fix) to get this ready.

In [20615]:

Add 'author' to rel attribute for get_the_author_link(). props sirzooro, CoenJacobs, Ipstenu. fixes #20047.