301 and 302 are HTTP redirect status codes that both send a browser to a new URL, but they signal very different intent. A 301 says "this moved permanently"; a 302 says "this is temporary, keep using the original." Search engines treat them accordingly.
Getting this wrong hurts SEO. Use a 302 for a permanent move and you may fail to pass link equity to the new URL; use a 301 for a temporary change and search engines may drop the original from their index.
| Aspect | 301 Redirect | 302 Redirect |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Permanent move | Temporary move |
| SEO link equity | Passes to the new URL | Stays with the original |
| Caching | Cached aggressively by browsers | Not cached by default |
| Index effect | New URL replaces old in index | Original URL stays indexed |
| Best for | Domain changes, permanent URL updates | A/B tests, maintenance, promos |
Default to 301 for anything permanent so link equity flows to the destination, and reserve 302 for genuinely temporary situations. Because browsers cache 301s hard, test carefully before deploying one - an accidental permanent redirect is painful to undo. Always check the full redirect chain to avoid loops and unnecessary hops.
Check the live HTTP status code of any URL, including its redirect chain and meaning.
Trace every redirect a URL follows, with status codes, timing and the final destination.
Check the live HTTP status of up to 20 URLs at once, with redirects and timing per link.
