HTTP Status Codes

How HTTP status codes help with redirect testing

HTTP responses provide a useful snapshot of what a server did with a request. A 2xx response generally indicates that the request was handled successfully, while 3xx responses are used for redirection. A 4xx response usually indicates a problem with the request or requested resource, and a 5xx response indicates that the server encountered a problem while processing the request.

For redirect troubleshooting, the status code should be considered together with the Location header. A 301 or 302 response without a usable destination may not lead the client where you expect. A redirect can also point to another URL that returns a second redirect, so checking only the first response may not reveal the complete request path. Use the Redirect Chain Checker when you need to inspect every hop.

301, 302, 307 and 308 redirects

301 and 308 indicate permanent redirects, while 302 and 307 indicate temporary redirects. The 307 and 308 status codes preserve the original request method, which can matter for requests other than a simple page navigation. For a practical redirect-specific view, compare the 301 Redirect Checker and 302 Redirect Checker with the full request path shown by the main Redirect Checker.

HTTP status codes and technical SEO

Status codes can affect how visitors, caches and search crawlers interact with a URL. A successful 200 response means the resource was returned, while a 404 or 410 can indicate that a URL is unavailable. A redirect response can move a request to another URL, so checking the status together with the destination helps identify routing problems. Status codes should always be interpreted in the context of the site's intended URL structure and server configuration.

Status codes and HTTP headers

The status line is only part of an HTTP response. Headers such as Location, Cache-Control, Content-Type and X-Robots-Tag provide additional information about what the server is doing. Use the HTTP Header CheckerCanonical URL CheckerURL Indexability CheckerSERP Preview Checker when you need to inspect these response headers in detail.

Status codes, crawling and indexing

A status code does not by itself determine whether a URL is indexed. Crawling and indexing can also be affected by robots.txt rules, HTML meta robots directives and HTTP headers. Use the Robots.txt CheckerSitemap Checker to test crawler access rules and the Meta Noindex Checker to inspect HTML and X-Robots-Tag noindex directives.

Common troubleshooting examples

If an old URL returns 404 when it should have moved, check whether the intended redirect rule is actually being returned. If a redirect unexpectedly continues through several URLs, inspect the chain for intermediate hops or loops. If a page returns 200 but still has an indexing problem, check the page's robots directives and response headers rather than relying on the status code alone.

Check an HTTP response with RedirectionChecker

Use the free Redirect Checker to inspect a URL and see the response status, status text, Location, server, content type, timing and selected headers. When redirects are present, the tool records each hop so you can see how the request moves from the starting URL to the final response. For a focused header view, use the HTTP Header CheckerCanonical URL CheckerURL Indexability CheckerSERP Preview Checker.

Frequently checked codes

Website owners often check 301 and 302 responses when reviewing URL changes, migrations and temporary routing. Developers may investigate 307 and 308 responses when preserving the original request method matters. A 404 can help identify a missing destination, a 410 can document permanent removal, and 5xx responses can indicate a server-side problem that needs investigation. The correct interpretation always depends on the context of the request and the server configuration.