diff --git a/src/hyperlink.ts b/src/hyperlink.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5cff82c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hyperlink.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+//Hyperlink related functions
+
+export function stringToHyperlink(rawData: any): any {
+  try {
+    //checks if the rawData provided is a valid url
+    const url = new URL(rawData);
+    //turns url into a hyperlink
+    const hyperlink = rawData.link(url);
+    return hyperlink;
+  } catch (e) {
+    return rawData;
+  }
+}
+
+export function checkHyperlink(rawData: any): any {
+  try {
+    //checks if the rawData provided is a valid url
+    new URL(rawData);
+    return true;
+  } catch (e) {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 90aaf7f..b624a31 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -368,6 +368,14 @@ function addCommands(
     }
   });
 
+  commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.openLinkContextMenu, {
+    label: 'Open Link',
+    execute: () => {
+      tracker.currentWidget &&
+        tracker.currentWidget.content.commandSignal.emit('open-link');
+    }
+  });
+
   commands.addCommand(CommandIDs.clearCells, {
     label: 'Clear Contents',
     execute: () => {
@@ -397,6 +405,8 @@ function addCommands(
     'cutContextMenu',
     'copyContextMenu',
     'pasteContextMenu',
+    'separator',
+    'openLinkContextMenu', //temporarily here to display the open link command on the context menu
     'separator'
   ];
 
@@ -709,5 +719,6 @@ export const CommandIDs: { [key: string]: string } = {
   save: 'tde-save',
   clearCells: 'tde-clear-contents',
   clearColumns: 'tde-clear-columns',
-  clearRows: 'tde-clear-rows'
+  clearRows: 'tde-clear-rows',
+  openLinkContextMenu: 'tde:open-link'
 };
diff --git a/src/widget.ts b/src/widget.ts
index 943b246..730198a 100644
--- a/src/widget.ts
+++ b/src/widget.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import { unsaveDialog } from './dialog';
 import { PaintedGrid } from './grid';
 import { HeaderTextRenderer } from './headercelleditor';
 import { RichKeyHandler } from './keyhandler';
+import { checkHyperlink } from './hyperlink';
 
 const CSV_CLASS = 'jp-CSVViewer';
 const CSV_GRID_CLASS = 'jp-CSVViewer-grid';
@@ -553,6 +554,15 @@ export class DSVEditor extends Widget {
     let update: DSVEditor.ModelChangedArgs | null = null;
 
     switch (command) {
+      case 'open-link': {
+        const cellData = this.dataModel.data('body', r1, c1);
+        const checkedHyperlink = checkHyperlink(cellData);
+        if (checkedHyperlink) {
+          window.open(cellData, '_blank');
+        }
+        break;
+      }
+
       case 'insert-rows-above': {
         update = this.dataModel.addRows('body', r1, rowSpan);
         break;
@@ -894,7 +904,8 @@ export namespace DSVEditor {
     | 'paste-cells'
     | 'undo'
     | 'redo'
-    | 'save';
+    | 'save'
+    | 'open-link';
   /**
 
    * The arguments emitted to the Editor when the datamodel changes