1. Overview
Redirection status codes allow us to redirect users and search engines from one URL to another, indicating the nature of the redirect and whether it is temporary or permanent.
In this tutorial, we’ll discuss redirection status codes 301, 302, 307, and 308. We’ll also learn the differences between them and how they can impact the user experience, search engine rankings, and the overall success of the website.
2. What Are Redirection Status Codes?
HTTP status codes are numerical codes that a client, such as a web browser, receives from the server to indicate the status of a request. We can categorize them based on the first digit of the code.
The redirection status codes fall under the 3xx category. These codes indicate that a requested resource has been moved to a new location, and the client should direct their request to the new location.
There are several types of redirection status codes, including 301, 302, 307, and 308. Each of these serves a specific purpose and has its own set of rules. Understanding these codes is important for maintaining the integrity of the website and providing a good user experience.
3. 301 Redirection
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that tells clients that a requested resource has permanently moved to a new location. This is a common type of redirect that we can use after permanently shifting the resource.
For example, if we have a website with multiple pages that all contain the same information, we might want to consolidate all of that information onto a single page and use a 301 redirect to send users and search engines to the new location. This can help improve the user experience and search engine rankings, as it avoids duplication of content and allows search engines to index the most current and relevant version of the resource.
4. 302 Redirection
A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect. This tells clients that a requested resource has been temporarily moved to a new location. This type of redirect is typically used when a resource is temporarily unavailable or has been temporarily moved for maintenance or other reasons.
For example, we are performing maintenance on the website and need to take it offline for a short period of time. In such cases, we’ll use a 302 redirect to send users to a temporary page. Since we’re using a 302 redirect, it indicates that the website will be back online soon. This allows the user to keep the same URL structure and search engine rankings.
It’s worth noting that a 302 redirect is distinct from a 301 redirect. 301 redirects indicate that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a new location. A 302 redirect tells the client that the original location may become available again in the future, and the client should continue to use the original URL for future requests.
5. 307 Redirection
A 307 redirect is another type of temporary redirect that we can use when the requested resource has been temporarily moved to a new location.
There’s a slight difference between 302 and 307 redirects. Both indicate that a resource has been temporarily moved to a new location. However, 307 does not allow changing the request method from POST to GET.
For instance, we have a form that uses the POST method and allows users to submit information or make a purchase. Now, we can use a 307 redirect to temporarily redirect users to a different page while processing the form. In this case, by using 307, we also instruct the client that it can’t switch the request method to GET when accessing the new resource.
On the other hand, if we’re planning maintenance on the website, we’ll need to take it offline for some time and may want to direct users to a static page, where a GET method would be more appropriate. A 302 redirect is more suitable here. It will indicate to users that the website will be back online soon.
6. 308 Redirection
A 308 redirect is useful when we move the resource permanently to a new location. It’s similar to a 301 redirect, but it specifies we cannot change a POST request to a GET request in this type of redirection.
7. Choosing the Right Redirection Status Code
Let’s consider an example scenario where we might use different types of redirection codes:
Imagine we have a website for a travel agency that offers a variety of tours and vacation packages. The website has a page for a popular beach vacation package that is currently unavailable. As a result, we wish to temporarily redirect users to a page or message. This redirection signifies that the package is currently unavailable but will be available again soon. In this case, we might use a 302 redirect to temporarily send users to the unavailable page or message that requires a GET instead of a POST.
Now, suppose we decide to discontinue the beach vacation package and replace it with a new mountain vacation package. In this case, we’ll use a 301 redirect to permanently send users to the new mountain vacation package. This allows us to update the website and product offerings, while still maintaining the search engine rankings and URL structure of the original beach vacation package page.
Next, let’s say that we want to temporarily redirect users to a page indicating that the website is currently undergoing maintenance. Also, we want the website to inform the user not to change the existing POST request to a GET. In this case, we’ll use a 307 redirect to temporarily send users to the maintenance page, without changing the request method.
Finally, let’s say that we have a form on the website that users can submit to request information or make a purchase. After submitting the form, which uses the POST method, we want to permanently redirect users to a different page. Using a 308 redirect will permanently send users to the new page while keeping the request method (POST) the same.
From the above scenarios, it is evident how using different redirection codes helps the users in the proper redirection.
8. Conclusion
In this article, we learned about redirection status codes and how to use them to redirect users from one URL to another. While there are a few other types of 3xx redirects that have not yet been deprecated, we focused on the four most commonly used redirects: 301, 302, 307, and 308. Each serves a specific purpose and has its own set of rules for how and when to use it.