Linking to a file

How do you link to a file to be downloaded such as a PDF, a restaurant menu or a fact sheet, let’s say

Compare these two ways of linking a document:

• WebAIM Quick Reference: Web Accessibility Principles.
• WebAIM Quick Reference: Web Accessibility Principles (PDF, 327 Kb).

The first link looks like a normal link, but clicking it actually starts downloading a file. The second one lets the user know that clicking the file will start downloading a file, and tells them how big it is. If they’re on a train, for instance, they may wait until later before downloading. A link is a promise, not a surprise.