---
title: "Reverse cross-reference"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/reference/glossary/reverse_xref.html
description: "Reverse cross-references in PageSeeder are bidirectional links that allow target documents to reference their source documents. They are expressed using the `<reversexref>` element, enabling automatic tracking of all documents that link to a given document."
last_updated: 2026-09-08T11:47:42+10:00
tokens: ~212
---

# Reverse cross-reference

For a bi-directional link, the reverse [cross-reference](/reference/glossary/cross_reference.md) (or *reverse xref*) is the component that exists on the link target and refers to the link source. By default, PageSeeder xrefs are bidirectional. This means that, by processing a document, it is possible to know what other documents link to them.

Reverse xrefs are expressed using the `<reversexref>` element.

## Terminology

In link terminology, the **source** document refers to the document containing the original cross-reference. The **target** document refers to the document being pointed at.

By definition, reverse cross-references are bidirectional. The forward direction refers to the reference from the source to the target. The reverse direction refers to the reference from the target back to the source.