Skip to main content
Most documentation sites assume a user journeys through the content in a particular order, aligned to how they use the product the documentation explains. In reality, users often skip around to different parts of the documentation, or follow a path that is not the most direct. We can still offer signposts to help users navigate documentation. The end of a page is a good place to do this. Is someone completely done with a task when they get to the end of a specific page or should they read another page? Help your readers make this decision instead of leaving them wondering what to do next.

​
Link to the next page

The lightest option. A single sentence that names the next page, what it covers, and has a link to it. You’ve probably noticed these at the end of lessons in this course. 
Next up: [Configure your deployment settings](/guides/configure-deployments) — Build command, output directory, and environment variables.
Link to the next page when:
  • The flow is linear. There’s one obvious next step.
  • The content is part of a sequential course or tutorial.
  • You want to maintain reading momentum.
Include a description. A bare link doesn’t tell the reader why they should go there. Help your readers understand why they should read the next page and what they’ll learn.

​
Use a card at the end of a page

Cards can help guide people between a choice of next steps.
Cards at the end of a guide
You've set up authentication. Choose your next step:

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Make your first API call" href="/guides/first-api-call" icon="zap">
    Send a request and see a real response.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Explore the API reference" href="/api-reference" icon="code">
    Full endpoint documentation with request and response schemas.
  </Card>
</Columns>
Use cards end when:
  • You want to make the next step prominent and scannable.
  • The destination is important enough to stand out even for readers who skim to the bottom.
  • You want to guide readers between a choice of next steps.

​
Let the sidebar do the work

For reference pages like API endpoints, configuration options, or component documentation, readers typically navigate via the sidebar rather than following a linear path. Adding explicit next steps at the bottom of every reference page isn’t useful for these more ranging journeys through content. You won’t always know what the reader will want to do next, and that is okay. Mintlify’s automatic pagination handles linear navigation for pages in the same group. You only need to add explicit navigation when the sidebar order doesn’t reflect the reading order, or when you want to direct readers to a page outside the current section.

​
What not to do

Don’t add next steps just to have next steps. Sometimes, reading a single page is enough and your user is ready to get back to another task. They got what they needed from your documentation. Don’t add multiple competing next steps. Less is more.
Next up: Code block essentials — The small choices that make code examples actually usable.