Question 1

What is a URL redirect?

Accepted Answer

A URL redirect is an HTTP response (status code 3xx) that tells the browser or client the requested resource has moved to a different URL. The response includes a Location header pointing to the new URL. The most common codes are 301 (Moved Permanently — passes SEO link equity), 302 (Found — temporary), 307 (Temporary Redirect — preserves request method), and 308 (Permanent Redirect — preserves request method). Following these hops one by one is called following the redirect chain.

Question 2

Why do too many redirects hurt SEO?

Accepted Answer

Each redirect adds latency and dilutes a small amount of PageRank. A chain of 4-5 redirects is common and acceptable, but 7+ hops materially slow page load and crawl budget. Search engines may also stop following the chain at a certain depth, which means your final URL may not receive the full link equity from the original. The ideal is a single 301 redirect from old to new.

Question 3

What is a redirect loop?

Accepted Answer

A redirect loop occurs when URL A redirects to URL B and URL B redirects back to URL A — or when a longer cycle exists (A → B → C → A). Browsers detect this and show an error like 'ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS' or 'This webpage has a redirect loop'. This checker stops at 20 hops to avoid infinite loops and flags any time the same URL appears twice in the chain.

Question 4

Can this tool follow redirects on any URL?

Accepted Answer

This tool can trace any publicly accessible HTTP/HTTPS URL that allows CORS-friendly redirects. The browser's fetch API follows redirects server-side by default, but we use the redirect: 'manual' option to inspect each hop individually. Some servers may block cross-origin fetches, in which case the chain stops at the blocked hop. URLs behind authentication or that require cookies are not supported.

Question 5

What is the difference between 301 and 302 redirects?

Accepted Answer

301 (Moved Permanently) tells search engines the page has permanently moved to the new URL and passes roughly 90-99% of link equity. 302 (Found) signals a temporary redirect and historically passed less equity, though Google now treats 302 like 301 for SEO purposes in many cases. For permanent moves use 301; for A/B testing or maintenance use 302. 307 and 308 are modern equivalents that also preserve the HTTP request method (GET stays GET, POST stays POST) — important for form submissions.

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