---
{
	"title": "Footnotes",
	"language": "en",
	"category": "Plugins",
	"description": "Provides a consistent, accessible way of handling footnotes across websites.",
	"tag": "footnotes",
	"parentdir": "footnotes",
	"altLangPrefix": "footnotes",
	"dateModified": "2023-11-20"
}
---
<section>
	<h2>Purpose</h2>
	<p>The purpose of the Footnotes plugin is to implement a consistent, accessible way of handling footnotes across Government of Canada web sites. The main concept behind this solution is to place footnotes in a definition list, within a dedicated section. An example of this can be found in the <a href="#fn">Footnotes</a> section. Supporting CSS is used to lay out the footnotes and hide navigational aids<sup id="fn1-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn1"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>1</a></sup>.</p>
</section>

<section>
	<h2>Benefits</h2>
	<ul>
		<li>Conforms to WCAG 2.0 AA<sup id="fn2-1-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn2"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>2</a></sup></li>
		<li>Progressive enhancement approach</li>
		<li>Support for Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome, and Edge<sup id="fn2-2-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn2"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>2</a></sup></li>
		<li>Support for English and French</li>
		<li>Configurable layout and design<sup id="fn2-3-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn2"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>2</a></sup>&#160;<sup id="fn3-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn3"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>3</a></sup>&#160;<sup id="fn4-0-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn4"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>4</a></sup></li>
	</ul>
</section>

<section>
	<h2>Recommended usage<sup id="fn4-1-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn4"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>4</a></sup></h2>
	<ul>
		<li>Implementing footnotes in Web pages<sup id="fn*-rf"><a class="fn-lnk" href="#fn*"><span class="wb-inv">Footnote </span>*</a></sup></li>
	</ul>
</section>

<aside class="wb-fnote" role="note">
	<h2 id="fn">Footnotes</h2>
	<dl>
		<dt>Footnote 1</dt>
		<dd id="fn1">
			<p>Example of a standard footnote.</p>
			<p class="fn-rtn"><a href="#fn1-rf"><span class="wb-inv">Return to footnote </span>1<span class="wb-inv"> referrer</span></a></p>
		</dd>
		<dt>Footnote 2</dt>
		<dd id="fn2">
			<p>Example of a footnote being referenced by multiple pieces of content.</p>
			<p class="fn-rtn"><a href="#fn2-1-rf"><span class="wb-inv">Return to <span>first</span> footnote </span>2<span class="wb-inv"> referrer</span></a></p>
		</dd>
		<dt>Footnote 3</dt>
		<dd id="fn3">
			<p>Example of a footnote containing multiple paragraphs (first paragraph).</p>
			<p>Example of a footnote containing multiple paragraphs (second paragraph).</p>
			<p>Example of a footnote containing multiple paragraphs (third paragraph).</p>
			<p class="fn-rtn"><a href="#fn3-rf"><span class="wb-inv">Return to footnote </span>3<span class="wb-inv"> referrer</span></a></p>
		</dd>
		<dt>Footnote 4</dt>
		<dd id="fn4">
			<p>Example of a footnote where first time clicked the user will get redirected to it's first instance of the footnote even if the coded link say otherwise. Prevent undesirable behaviour when footnote are added during a content review process.</p>
			<p class="fn-rtn"><a href="#fn4-1-rf"><span class="wb-inv">Return to <span>first</span> footnote </span>4<span class="wb-inv"> referrer</span></a></p>
		</dd>
		<dt>Footnote *</dt>
		<dd id="fn*">
			<p>Example of a standard footnote, denoted by a symbol.</p>
			<p class="fn-rtn"><a href="#fn*-rf"><span class="wb-inv">Return to footnote </span>*<span class="wb-inv"> referrer</span></a></p>
		</dd>
	</dl>
</aside>

<section class="wb-prettify all-pre">
	<h2>Code</h2>
	<pre><code>&lt;section&gt;
	&lt;h2&gt;Purpose&lt;/h2&gt;
	&lt;p&gt;The purpose of the Footnotes plugin is to implement a consistent, accessible way of handling footnotes across Government of Canada web sites. The main concept behind this solution is to place footnotes in a definition list, within a dedicated section. An example of this can be found in the &lt;a href=&quot;#fn&quot;&gt;Footnotes&lt;/a&gt; section. Supporting CSS is used to lay out the footnotes and hide navigational aids&lt;sup id=&quot;fn1-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn1&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;1&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/section&gt;

&lt;section&gt;
	&lt;h2&gt;Benefits&lt;/h2&gt;
	&lt;ul&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;Conforms to WCAG 2.0 AA&lt;sup id=&quot;fn2-1-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn2&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;Progressive enhancement approach&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;Support for Firefox, Opera, Safari, Chrome, and Edge&lt;sup id=&quot;fn2-2-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn2&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;Support for English and French&lt;/li&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;Configurable layout and design&lt;sup id=&quot;fn2-3-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn2&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;2&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&#160;&lt;sup id=&quot;fn3-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn3&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;sup id=&quot;fn4-0-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn4&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
	&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/section&gt;

&lt;section&gt;
	&lt;h2&gt;Recommended usage&lt;sup id=&quot;fn4-1-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn4&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
	&lt;ul&gt;
		&lt;li&gt;Implementing footnotes in Web pages&lt;sup id=&quot;fn*-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;a class=&quot;fn-lnk&quot; href=&quot;#fn*&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Footnote &lt;/span&gt;*&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/sup&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
	&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;/section&gt;

&lt;aside class=&quot;wb-fnote&quot; role=&quot;note&quot;&gt;
	&lt;h2 id=&quot;fn&quot;&gt;Footnotes&lt;/h2&gt;
	&lt;dl&gt;
		&lt;dt&gt;Footnote 1&lt;/dt&gt;
		&lt;dd id=&quot;fn1&quot;&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a standard footnote.&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p class=&quot;fn-rtn&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#fn1-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Return to footnote &lt;/span&gt;1&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt; referrer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
		&lt;/dd&gt;
		&lt;dt&gt;Footnote 2&lt;/dt&gt;
		&lt;dd id=&quot;fn2&quot;&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a footnote being referenced by multiple pieces of content.&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p class=&quot;fn-rtn&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#fn2-1-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Return to &lt;span&gt;first&lt;/span&gt; footnote &lt;/span&gt;2&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt; referrer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
		&lt;/dd&gt;
		&lt;dt&gt;Footnote 3&lt;/dt&gt;
		&lt;dd id=&quot;fn3&quot;&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a footnote containing multiple paragraphs (first paragraph).&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a footnote containing multiple paragraphs (second paragraph).&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a footnote containing multiple paragraphs (third paragraph).&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p class=&quot;fn-rtn&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#fn3-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Return to footnote &lt;/span&gt;3&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt; referrer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
		&lt;/dd&gt;
		&lt;dt&gt;Footnote 4&lt;/dt&gt;
		&lt;dd id=&quot;fn4&quot;&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a footnote where first time clicked the user will get redirected to it's first instance of the footnote even if the coded link say otherwise. Prevent undesirable behaviour when footnote are added during a content review process.&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p class=&quot;fn-rtn&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#fn4-1-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Return to &lt;span&gt;first&lt;/span&gt; footnote &lt;/span&gt;4&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt; referrer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
		&lt;/dd&gt;
		&lt;dt&gt;Footnote *&lt;/dt&gt;
		&lt;dd id=&quot;fn*&quot;&gt;
			&lt;p&gt;Example of a standard footnote, denoted by a symbol.&lt;/p&gt;
			&lt;p class=&quot;fn-rtn&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;#fn*-rf&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt;Return to footnote &lt;/span&gt;*&lt;span class=&quot;wb-inv&quot;&gt; referrer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
		&lt;/dd&gt;
	&lt;/dl&gt;
&lt;/aside&gt;</code></pre>
</section>
