How can I use the built in WordPress “browse link” functionality?

I invoke the link dialogue within the metabox class I use for development. Its a tad hacky but can be done, until something more robust is developed.

You can invoke the link box by first enqueing the required js, and then interacting with the wp-link js files methods.

Make sure you have enqueued wp-link

1 / wp_enqueue_script( 'wp-link' );

2 / Set up your ui. I usually use a button to invoke the link dialogue from and a textfield to handle the links URL.

3 / Invoke link dialogue

var _link_sideload = false; //used to track whether or not the link dialogue actually existed on this page, ie was wp_editor invoked.

var link_btn = (function($){
'use strict';
var _link_sideload = false; //used to track whether or not the link dialogue actually existed on this page, ie was wp_editor invoked.

/* PRIVATE METHODS
-------------------------------------------------------------- */
//add event listeners

function _init() {
    $('body').on('click', '.lm-link-button', function(event) {
        _addLinkListeners();
        _link_sideload = false;

        var link_val_container = $('#your_input_field');

        if ( typeof wpActiveEditor != 'undefined') {
            wpLink.open();
            wpLink.textarea = $(link_val_container);
        } else {
            window.wpActiveEditor = true;
            _link_sideload = true;
            wpLink.open();
            wpLink.textarea = $(link_val_container);
        }
        return false;
    });

}

/* LINK EDITOR EVENT HACKS
-------------------------------------------------------------- */
function _addLinkListeners() {
    $('body').on('click', '#wp-link-submit', function(event) {
        var linkAtts = wpLink.getAttrs();
        var link_val_container = $('#your_input_field');
        link_val_container.val(linkAtts.href);
        _removeLinkListeners();
        return false;
    });

    $('body').on('click', '#wp-link-cancel', function(event) {
        _removeLinkListeners();
        return false;
    });
}

function _removeLinkListeners() {
    if(_link_sideload){
        if ( typeof wpActiveEditor != 'undefined') {
            wpActiveEditor = undefined;
        }
    }

    wpLink.close();
    wpLink.textarea = $('html');//focus on document

    $('body').off('click', '#wp-link-submit');
    $('body').off('click', '#wp-link-cancel');
}

/* PUBLIC ACCESSOR METHODS
-------------------------------------------------------------- */
return {
    init:       _init,
};

})(jQuery);


// Initialise
jQuery(document).ready(function($){
 'use strict';
 link_btn.init();
});

4 // enqueue scripts. Add the following to your functions.php file, and adjust the file names / paths to suit.

function linkbtn_enqueue() {
    //register script
    wp_register_script('link_btn',get_template_directory_uri() . '/js/link_btn.js', array('jquery'), '1.0', true);
    //now load it
    wp_enqueue_script( 'link_btn');
}

 add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', 'linkbtn_enqueue' );

Should about do it. I use the same approach in my metabox class and it seems to work OK.