docs: document broken link checker feature in dashboard (#2969)

Co-authored-by: fern-api[bot] <115122769+fern-api[bot]@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Devin Logan <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Danny Sheridan <[email protected]>

Author: 4 people

fern/products/cli-api-reference/pages/commands.mdx

@@ -284,6 +284,10 @@ hideOnThisPage: true
     fern check --strict-broken-links
     ```
 
+    <Note>
+    For comprehensive link checking, use the [Fern Dashboard](https://dashboard.buildwithfern.com/), which validates both internal and external links on your live published site. This is recommended over `--strict-broken-links` because the Dashboard checks your actual published site and can verify external links that the CLI cannot.
+    </Note>
+
     ## Usage in a GitHub Action
 
     <CodeBlock title = ".github/workflows/fern-check.yml" >

fern/products/dashboard/dashboard.yml

@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ navigation:
       - page: Set up SSO
         path: ./pages/sso.mdx
         slug: sso
+  - changelog: ./pages/changelog

fern/products/dashboard/pages/changelog/2026-01-05.mdx

@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+## Broken link checker
+
+The Fern Dashboard now includes a link checker that scans your published documentation for broken links, validating both internal links (links to other pages within your docs) and external links (links to external websites).
+
+To check for broken links, open the [Fern Dashboard](https://dashboard.buildwithfern.com), navigate to the **Link Checker** tab, and select the domain you want to scan. The checker displays any broken (404) or blocked (403) links found, along with the source page and link type.
+
+
+<Frame>
+  <img src="link-checker.png" alt="Dashboard Link Checker tool" />
+</Frame>

fern/products/dashboard/pages/changelog/link-checker.png

@@ -31,17 +31,11 @@ Visit your team's [Dashboard](https://dashboard.buildwithfern.com/) and complete
   </Card>
 </CardGroup>
 
-## Ongoing usage
+## Metrics
 
-Once you've completed initial setup tasks, use your dashboard to monitor and manage your documentation:
+Monitor and analyze how developers interact with your documentation:
 
 <CardGroup cols={3}>
-  <Card
-    title="Site information"
-    icon="regular info-circle"
-  >
-    View deployment status, domains, CLI version, and GitHub repo details.
-  </Card>
   <Card
     title="Web analytics"
     icon="regular chart-line"
@@ -54,6 +48,12 @@ Once you've completed initial setup tasks, use your dashboard to monitor and man
   >
     Monitor search queries to understand what developers are looking for in your docs.
   </Card>
+  <Card
+    title="Broken links"
+    icon="regular link-slash"
+  >
+    Scan your published docs for broken internal and external links.
+  </Card>
   <Card
     title="Feedback"
     icon="regular comment-dots"
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Once you've completed initial setup tasks, use your dashboard to monitor and man
   </p>
 
   </Card>
-  <Card
+    <Card
     title="Ask Fern conversations"
     icon="regular messages"
     href="/learn/ask-fern/getting-started/what-is-ask-fern"
@@ -84,6 +84,19 @@ Once you've completed initial setup tasks, use your dashboard to monitor and man
   </p>
 
   </Card>
+</CardGroup>
+
+## Site management
+
+Manage your documentation site and team collaboration:
+
+<CardGroup cols={3}>
+  <Card
+    title="Site information"
+    icon="regular info-circle"
+  >
+    View deployment status, domains, CLI version, and GitHub repo details.
+  </Card>
   <Card
     title="Fern Editor"
     icon="regular pen-to-square"

fern/products/dashboard/pages/overview.mdx

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ description: Publish your Fern docs to production and staging sites with automat
 When you are ready for your docs to be publicly accessible, publish them using the Fern CLI. Choose one of the following approaches: publish [only to a production site](#publish-to-production), or [to separate staging and production sites](#publish-to-staging-and-production). 
 
 <Info>
-  Use the [Fern Dashboard](https://dashboard.buildwithfern.com) to manage CLI access and your GitHub repository connection.
+  Use the [Fern Dashboard](https://dashboard.buildwithfern.com) to manage CLI access, connect your GitHub repository, and monitor analytics and broken links.
 </Info>
 
 ## Publish to production
@@ -206,3 +206,4 @@ navigation: []
 Publish the updated configuration by running `fern generate --docs`. This will remove all content from your site, and users visiting any page will see a 404 error.
 </Step>
 </Steps>
+