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HTTP 301 Moved Permanently: What It Means and When You See It

Quick Answer

HTTP 301 Moved Permanently means the requested resource has been permanently moved to the URL given in the Location header. Browsers and search engines update their records.

When to Use HTTP 301

HTTP 301 Moved Permanently tells browsers and search engines the URL has moved forever. Browsers cache 301 redirects aggressively - repeat visits go directly to the new URL without a server round-trip. Search engines transfer ranking signals (PageRank) through 301 redirects, making them the correct choice for permanent URL changes: site migrations, slug changes after a rename, HTTPS upgrades, and removing www from a domain.

301 vs 302 vs 308

HTTP 302 Found is a temporary redirect - do not cache, keep using the original URL. HTTP 301 is permanent - cache the new URL. HTTP 308 Permanent Redirect is like 301 but preserves the HTTP method (a POST stays a POST; in 301, POST may become GET). For standard page redirects, 301 is correct. For API endpoints where POST must remain POST after redirect, use 308. For SEO purposes, 301 and 308 both transfer ranking signals.

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