Redirect Checker Tool
Simulate redirect hops, spot 301 vs 302 usage, and document chains before they hurt crawl budget or page speed.
Note: Configure the API_ENDPOINT in the script to connect to your server. See server/README.md for setup instructions.
Why Redirects Matter
Every time a URL hops to another URL, your visitors and search engines have to wait. A single, well-implemented 301 is fine. Chains or loops quickly erode trust, tracking, and rankings.
Common issues we surface
- HTTPS migrations: Make sure http:// versions resolve to https:// in one hop.
- Trailing slash mismatches: Avoid endless /page vs /page/ bouncing.
- Temporary vs permanent: Use 301 when a page is gone for good, 302 for short-term campaigns.
- Infinite loops: A redirects to B and B back to A, locking out both users and bots.
Workflow Tips
Document every change
Create a simple spreadsheet of old URLs, new URLs, and expected status codes. Testing becomes much faster when you know the target path.
Fix chains at the source
If you see A → B → C, update rule A so it goes straight to C. Repeat until each redirect needs only one hop.
Monitor after deployment
Run automated checks weekly. CMS edits, CDN rules, and marketing tools frequently add surprise redirects.
Frequently Asked Questions
For security reasons, this demo only illustrates the experience. In production you would hit a backend endpoint that follows redirects and returns the HTTP status codes.
Google can follow several redirects, but best practice is one hop whenever possible. Two is acceptable during migrations; more than that should be fixed.
Yes. 301 tells servers and browsers where to go; canonical tags help search engines consolidate ranking signals even when a redirect is not possible.