What it the difference between Pingback and Trackback?

12
votes

What is the difference between the two names? Thanks.

5
blogstrackbackpingback
I think that this question is more appropriate for Super User. - Cristian Ciupitu
Not if you're designing a blog! - Charlie Salts
IMO, it's not a question about a general computer-related question, I'm asking here about developing a blogging platform. - Moayad Mardini

5 Answers

8
votes

The pingback automatically finds URI’s in the post and pings them while a trackback needs to have a URI entered manually.

See this Whitepaper: Pingback vs Trackback

4
votes

Both Trackback and Pingback allow you to notify other URLs (webpages) that you linked to them from your page (e.g. a blog post).

The difference between both are:

  • Trackback uses a simple HTTP POST request to notify the other side, while Pingback uses XML-RPC.
  • Trackback support on the remote site has to be discovered by parsing the HTML source for some commented RDF, while the Pingback URL is sent as HTTP header.
  • By using the HTTP header, pingbacks are possible for files other than HTML, e.g. images and videos.
  • The Trackback specification leaves many things undefined, while the Pingback spec is very clear.
  • The pingback specification requires pingback receivers to check if the original URL contains a link to them. This is not necessary for trackbacks.

What the others said about "automatic": This has nothing to do with both specs. It's your blogging software that (automatically or not) sends requests to the remote servers for any links in your blog post.

2
votes

Both Pingback & Trackback offer bloggers the facility to be in touch between websites.

Pingback:

  • A writes a post on B’s blog.
  • B writes a post on B’s blog mentioning/linking to A article.
  • B’s blogging software will automatically send a pingback to A.
  • A’s blogging software will receive the pingback. It will then automatically go to B’s blog to confirm that the pingback originates there (the link is present).
  • Then A will have the ability to display B’s pingback as A’s comment. This will solely be a link to B’s site. Pingbacks also work within your site. So if one of your posts link to another post, then your WordPress will send a self-ping. This can get really annoying.

Trackback:

  • A writes a post on B’s blog.
  • B wants to comment on A’s post, but B want his/her own readers to see what he/she have to say and able to comment on it.
  • B will then write a post on his/her blog and send a trackback to A’s blog post.
  • A will receive B’s trackback, and choose to display it as a comment or not. The comment display will be a title, excerpt and a link to B’s blog post.

--Anurag Birthare

1
votes

Pingback and Trackback use different protocols. Pingback is automatic and Trackback is manual. You can read up on the difference on Geeklog.

-1
votes

Trackback URL receives a copy of the originating server's address. If enabled, a Pingback is sent to the originating server's URL to verify that it is not a spam Trackback.