URL redirection is a technique that automatically forwards a user from a requested URL to a different URL. It’s also known as URL forwarding.
Here are some reasons to use URL redirection:
- Site moves: When a site is moved to a new domain, redirects can make the transition smoother for users.
- Multiple URLs: When a site has multiple URLs for the same page, redirects can send traffic to a preferred URL.
- Merging websites: When two websites are merged, redirects can ensure that links to outdated URLs are redirected to the correct pages.
- Page removal: When a page is removed, redirects can send users to a new page.
- Broken links: Redirects can prevent broken links when web pages are moved.
- Privacy: Redirects can be used to protect privacy, such as by redirecting YouTube and Twitter links to Invidious and Nitter.
Redirects can be temporary or permanent. For example, temporary redirects can be used during site maintenance or downtime. Permanent redirects can be used to preserve existing links and bookmarks after changing a site’s URLs.