What Is a 301 Status Code?

A 301 status code, officially labeled Moved Permanently, is part of the HTTP/1.1 specification. It tells both browsers (user agents) and search engines that the requested resource (such as a page, file, or API endpoint) has been permanently moved to a new URL.

Let’s break that down carefully.
When you, as a user, type a URL or click a link, your browser sends an HTTP request to the server hosting that content. If the server responds with HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently, it’s signaling:
“The resource you’re asking for no longer lives here — it’s now available at this new address. Please update your bookmarks, links, and any future requests to use the new address.”
This is fundamentally different from temporary redirects (like 302 or 307), which tell the client, “This change is just for now — keep using the old URL for future requests.”

Technical Definition (RFC 7231 Section 6.4.2)

According to the official HTTP specification:

If the 301 status code is received in response to a request other than GET or HEAD, the user agent must not automatically redirect the request unless it can be confirmed by the user, since this might change the conditions under which the request was issued.

In practical terms, this means:

For most browser-based GET or HEAD requests, the redirection happens automatically.
For other request types, like POST, some browsers (historically) switch the request method to GET on the follow-up request, unless you use something like a 307 redirect to preserve the original method.

Why Does the 301 Status Code Matter?

Preserving User Experience (UX):
Visitors aren’t left with broken links, dead ends, or outdated bookmarks. They are seamlessly directed to the updated content or new location.
Maintaining Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
Search engines like Google treat 301 redirects as a strong signal that the original page’s authority (PageRank) should transfer to the new destination. This helps preserve organic search rankings even after major URL or domain changes.
Supporting Site Maintenance and Growth:
Whether you’re redesigning your website, updating your URL structure, consolidating duplicate content, or rebranding under a new domain, 301 redirects let you make big backend changes without breaking public-facing links.

Example Situations Where a 301 Is Used

Moving a blog post from https://example.com/blog/my-article to https://example.com/articles/my-article.
Consolidating old product pages under a new, unified product category.
Rebranding from oldbrand.com to newbrand.com and redirecting all old URLs to the new site.
Redirecting non-www URLs (example.com) to the www version (www.example.com), or vice versa, for consistency.

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What Happens When a 301 Response Is Sent?

Here’s the typical flow:

Client sends request for the old URL.

Server responds with:

HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently  
Location: https://example.com/new-location

The browser (or bot) immediately requests the new URL.
Over time, search engines update their index to point directly to the new URL, removing the old one.

Important Notes About 301

Caching: By default, 301 responses are cacheable, meaning browsers and search engines may store the redirect to reduce future lookup times.
Method Change: Some browsers change a POST to a GET during a 301 redirect; if this behavior is undesired, a 307 redirect should be used instead.
Long-Term Use: Only use 301 redirects for permanent moves. If you’re unsure whether the change will last, it’s safer to use a temporary redirect (302 or 307) until you decide.

In summary, a 301 status code is the web’s way of saying “this page has permanently moved” — and it’s the gold standard for keeping both users and search engines in sync when URLs or site structures change.

How Does a 301 Redirect Work?

A 301 redirect operates as part of the HTTP protocol — the fundamental communication system between a web browser (or client) and a server. Let’s break this process down in detail, step by step.

Step 1: Client Requests the Old URL

When a user or search engine bot types in or clicks on a link to the old URL (say, https://example.com/old-page), their browser sends an HTTP request to the server asking for that resource.

Example request:

GET /old-page HTTP/1.1  
Host: example.com

Step 2: Server Responds With 301 Moved Permanently

Instead of returning the old content, the server responds with a 301 Moved Permanently status and includes a Location header that points to the new, permanent URL.

Example server response:

HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently  
Location: https://example.com/new-page  
Content-Length: 0

Key elements here:

Status Code: 301 signals the resource has permanently moved.
Location Header: This tells the client where to go next.
Empty Body: Often, the body has no content because the important instruction is in the Location header.

Step 3: Client Automatically Follows the Redirect

Modern browsers and most bots automatically follow the redirect by sending a second request to the new URL:

GET /new-page HTTP/1.1  
Host: example.com

This happens nearly instantaneously, meaning the user often never notices they were redirected.

Step 4: Updating Links and Caching

Users’ bookmarks and links: Over time, users are encouraged to update saved bookmarks or links to the new URL.
Search engines: Google and others will update their index to the new URL after crawling the 301. Importantly, they will pass most or all ranking signals (such as PageRank) to the new destination.

Special Technical Notes

POST to GET Change: Historically, some browsers change a POST request to a GET during a 301 redirect. If you need to preserve the method (like when redirecting form submissions), it’s better to use a 307 Temporary Redirect, which explicitly maintains the request method.
Caching Behavior: By default, 301 redirects are cacheable. This means the client may remember the new URL and automatically go there in the future without asking the server again, reducing server load.

Behind-the-Scenes Automation

Many modern tools (like WordPress, Apache, or NGINX) handle 301 redirects using configuration files or plugins. For example:

Apache: Using .htaccess rules.
NGINX: Using rewrite directives.
WordPress: Using SEO plugins like Rank Math or Yoast.

These tools ensure that the redirect is implemented server-side, providing fast, clean, and search-engine-friendly behavior.

In essence, a 301 redirect works by telling both human users and automated bots that the old URL is no longer valid and that the new one should be used from now on. This process preserves traffic, search visibility, and user experience — all critical for maintaining a healthy, evolving website.

301 Code References

The 301 status code (Moved Permanently) is standardized across HTTP, but when implementing it in actual software, developers use framework- or language-specific constants, symbols, or classes to avoid hardcoding raw numbers like 301.

Here’s a deep look at how the 301 code is represented across popular development environments, plus practical examples to show you exactly how it’s applied.

Popular Framework and Language References

Language / Framework	Code Reference
Ruby on Rails	`:moved_permanently`
Go (Golang)	`http.StatusMovedPermanently`
Symfony (PHP)	`Response::HTTP_MOVED_PERMANENTLY`
Python 2	`httplib.MOVED_PERMANENTLY`
Python 3+	`http.client.MOVED_PERMANENTLY`
Python 3.5+	`http.HTTPStatus.MOVED_PERMANENTLY`
.NET (C#)	`HttpStatusCode.MovedPermanently`
Rust	`http::StatusCode::MOVED_PERMANENTLY`
Java	`java.net.HttpURLConnection.HTTP_MOVED_PERM`
Apache HttpComponents Core	`org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpStatus.SC_MOVED_PERMANENTLY`
Angular (TypeScript)	`@angular/common/http/HttpStatusCode.MovedPermanently`

Example Implementations

Ruby on Rails

redirect_to 'https://example.com/new-page', status: :moved_permanently

Go (Golang)

http.Redirect(w, r, "https://example.com/new-page", http.StatusMovedPermanently)

Symfony (PHP)

use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\RedirectResponse;

$response = new RedirectResponse('https://example.com/new-page', Response::HTTP_MOVED_PERMANENTLY);
$response->send();

Python 3

import http.client

print(http.client.MOVED_PERMANENTLY)  # Outputs: 301

.NET (C#)

Response.StatusCode = (int)HttpStatusCode.MovedPermanently;
Response.Redirect("https://example.com/new-page");

Why Use Constants Instead of Raw Codes?

✅ Readability
Using http.StatusMovedPermanently or Response::HTTP_MOVED_PERMANENTLY makes code easier to read and understand, reducing the chance of mistakes.

✅ Maintainability
Constants are easier to update across a codebase if standards change (though with HTTP, this is rare).

✅ Framework Integration
Many frameworks offer additional features or methods when you use their built-in constants, ensuring better integration, logging, and error handling.

No matter what programming stack you’re using, the 301 status code is supported natively — but you should rely on the provided constants and helpers for clean, reliable implementation. Whether you’re building with Ruby, Go, PHP, Python, or even Angular, you have a consistent way to apply 301 redirects that follow best practices.

301 Status Code Example

To understand how a 301 redirect works in practice, it’s helpful to look at the raw HTTP request and response that happen between a client (browser) and a server when a redirect is triggered.

Let’s break this down carefully, step by step.

Example Scenario

A user clicks on an old link:
https://example.com/old-page.html

Step 1: Client Sends HTTP Request

The client sends this request to the server:

GET /old-page.html HTTP/1.1  
Host: example.com  
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) Chrome/113.0.0.0

This is a standard GET request, asking the server for the resource at /old-page.html.

Step 2: Server Responds With 301 Redirect

The server responds with:

HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently  
Location: https://example.com/new-page.html  
Content-Length: 0  
Connection: close

Let’s break this down:

Status Line (HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently): Indicates that the resource has been permanently moved.
Location Header: Provides the new destination URL where the client should go.
Content-Length: 0: Indicates there’s no message body (the redirect is handled purely through the headers).

Step 3: Client Follows the Redirect

Modern browsers automatically handle this 301 response:

They immediately issue a new GET request to:
https://example.com/new-page.html
This means the user never notices the switch; they are seamlessly delivered to the new page.

Why Is This Important?

✅ For Users: They experience no interruption — the old link “just works.”
✅ For Search Engines: Google and others update their index to replace the old URL with the new one, passing ranking signals.
✅ For Developers: This provides a clean, protocol-level method for signaling permanent changes without breaking inbound links or bookmarks.

Important Notes

If the request was a POST, some browsers historically change it to a GET during a 301 redirect. If you need to preserve the method, you should use a 307 Temporary Redirect or 308 Permanent Redirect.
This example assumes the server properly handles and tests the redirect using server-side configuration, like .htaccess for Apache or server blocks in NGINX.

A 301 status code works at the HTTP level by telling the client, “This page has permanently moved — here’s the new address.” The client then follows the new path automatically, ensuring both users and bots reach the right content.

How to Fix or Troubleshoot a 301 Redirect

While 301 redirects are powerful tools for managing permanent URL changes, they can cause problems if misconfigured — leading to broken links, traffic loss, SEO issues, or poor user experience.

Here’s a deep, structured guide on how to diagnose, fix, and monitor 301 redirects effectively.

Step 1: Identify the Redirect

First, confirm whether the URL is returning a 301 response.

Use browser developer tools:
Open Chrome DevTools → Network tab → reload the old URL → look for a 301 status.
Use a site audit tool:
Tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can scan your site for redirect chains or misdirected links.
Use online checkers:
Enter the old URL into a free redirect checker (such as httpstatus.io) to see the full redirect chain.

Step 2: Check the Destination

Verify that the destination URL is:

Correct (not a typo, outdated, or broken).
Live and properly loading.
Delivering the right content and experience.

If you’ve recently changed the destination, ensure you’ve updated the redirect rules to point to the new correct location.

Step 3: Update Links and References

Once you confirm the redirect works, update:

Internal links (site menus, buttons, in-content links).
Sitemaps (submit updated sitemaps to Google Search Console).
External backlinks (reach out to key external partners or websites if they link to the old URL).
Bookmarks and marketing materials (update saved links, email templates, QR codes, etc.).

Step 4: Implement the Redirect (If Missing or Broken)

If the 301 redirect is missing, misconfigured, or needs to be set up, do so using the right server configuration:

Apache: Update the .htaccess file.

Redirect 301 /old-page.html https://example.com/new-page.html

NGINX: Use a rewrite rule.

rewrite ^/old-page.html$ https://example.com/new-page.html permanent;

WordPress: Use SEO plugins like Yoast or Rank Math for easy redirect management.
Custom code: For Node.js, PHP, or other environments, implement server-side redirects using framework-specific methods.

Step 5: Test the Redirect

After implementing, test thoroughly:

Use a browser and visit the old URL. Confirm it seamlessly redirects.
Use automated tools to ensure there are no redirect chains (multiple hops) or redirect loops (circular paths).

Step 6: Monitor Performance

Keep an eye on:

Google Search Console: Check for crawl errors, indexing issues, or drop-offs.
Web analytics (Google Analytics, Matomo): Watch for traffic changes or drops on pages that were redirected.
Site audits: Regularly check for broken or outdated redirects, especially after site migrations or major content updates.

Fixing or troubleshooting a 301 redirect is about making sure the old URL smoothly and permanently points to the right new resource — without introducing SEO penalties or user frustration. Following these structured steps ensures clean, effective redirects that support long-term site health.

FAQs About 301 Redirects

What causes a 301 redirect?
A 301 redirect is typically caused by a website or server configuration change where a page, file, or entire site has been permanently moved to a new URL.

Common triggers include:

Changing site architecture or folder structure.
Consolidating duplicate content under a single canonical URL.
Rebranding, where the domain name itself changes.
Migrating to HTTPS from HTTP.
Setting up preferred versions (e.g., redirecting non-www to www).

Importantly, the 301 informs both users and search engines that the change is permanent and future requests should go to the new location.

When should you use a 301 redirect?
Use a 301 redirect when:

You’ve permanently moved content to a new location.
You want to preserve SEO value (PageRank, backlinks, authority) from an old page or domain to a new one.
You need to ensure that all bookmarks, internal links, and external references eventually point to the updated URL.

Common use cases:

Website rebranding or domain name changes.
URL restructuring (changing slugs or folder paths).
Merging duplicate or similar pages into a single authoritative page.

Remember: if the change is temporary, a 302 or 307 redirect is more appropriate.

When should you NOT use a 301 redirect?
Avoid using a 301 redirect when:

The change is temporary (use 302 or 307 instead).
You’re testing or running seasonal promotions — permanent redirects can lock in changes that are hard to reverse.
You’re creating redirect chains (where one redirect leads to another, and another), as this slows page load and can hurt SEO.
You’re trying to redirect users purely for design or layout reasons, rather than because the underlying content has permanently moved.

Also, be cautious when making broad or site-wide redirects — they can accidentally wipe out SEO rankings if not mapped carefully.

What is the difference between a 301 and 302 status code?
The key difference is permanence:

301 (Moved Permanently): The old URL is gone for good; search engines pass ranking signals and update their index.
302 (Found) or 307 (Temporary Redirect): The change is temporary; search engines keep indexing the old URL, assuming it will come back.

Practical takeaway:

Use 301 when you want to preserve SEO value and permanently move traffic.
Use 302 or 307 when you want to temporarily shift traffic but keep the original URL’s SEO position intact.

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