Skip to content
    Moz logo Menu open Menu close
    • Products
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Pro Home
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Home
      • STAT
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Home
      • Compare SEO Products
      • Moz Data
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis
      • Keyword Explorer
      • Link Explorer
      • Competitive Research
      • MozBar
      • More Free SEO Tools
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO
      • SEO Learning Center
      • Moz Academy
      • SEO Q&A
      • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Agency Solutions
      • Enterprise Solutions
      • Small Business Solutions
      • Case Studies
      • The Moz Story
      • New Releases
    • Log in
    • Log out
    • Products
      • Moz Pro

        Your all-in-one suite of SEO essentials.

      • Moz Local

        Raise your local SEO visibility with complete local SEO management.

      • STAT

        SERP tracking and analytics for enterprise SEO experts.

      • Moz API

        Power your SEO with our index of over 44 trillion links.

      • Compare SEO Products

        See which Moz SEO solution best meets your business needs.

      • Moz Data

        Power your SEO strategy & AI models with custom data solutions.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      Learn more
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis

        Get top competitive SEO metrics like DA, top pages and more.

      • Keyword Explorer

        Find traffic-driving keywords with our 1.25 billion+ keyword index.

      • Link Explorer

        Explore over 40 trillion links for powerful backlink data.

      • Competitive Research

        Uncover valuable insights on your organic search competitors.

      • MozBar

        See top SEO metrics for free as you browse the web.

      • More Free SEO Tools

        Explore all the free SEO tools Moz has to offer.

      What is your Brand Authority?
      Moz

      What is your Brand Authority?

      Check yours now
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO

        The #1 most popular introduction to SEO, trusted by millions.

      • SEO Learning Center

        Broaden your knowledge with SEO resources for all skill levels.

      • On-Demand Webinars

        Learn modern SEO best practices from industry experts.

      • How-To Guides

        Step-by-step guides to search success from the authority on SEO.

      • Moz Academy

        Upskill and get certified with on-demand courses & certifications.

      • SEO Q&A

        Insights & discussions from an SEO community of 500,000+.

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
      Moz API

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

      Find your plan
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Small Business Solutions

        Uncover insights to make smarter marketing decisions in less time.

      • Agency Solutions

        Earn & keep valuable clients with unparalleled data & insights.

      • Enterprise Solutions

        Gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of search.

      • The Moz Story

        Moz was the first & remains the most trusted SEO company.

      • Case Studies

        Explore how Moz drives ROI with a proven track record of success.

      • New Releases

        Get the scoop on the latest and greatest from Moz.

      Surface actionable competitive intel
      New Feature

      Surface actionable competitive intel

      Learn More
    • Log in
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Dashboard
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Dashboard
      • Moz Academy
    • Avatar
      • Moz Home
      • Notifications
      • Account & Billing
      • Manage Users
      • Community Profile
      • My Q&A
      • My Videos
      • Log Out

    The Moz Q&A Forum

    • Forum
    • Questions
    • Users
    • Ask the Community

    Welcome to the Q&A Forum

    Browse the forum for helpful insights and fresh discussions about all things SEO.

    1. Home
    2. SEO Tactics
    3. Technical SEO
    4. Redirection chain and Javascript Redirect

    Moz Q&A is closed.

    After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

    Redirection chain and Javascript Redirect

    Technical SEO
    10
    19
    2283
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as question
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
    • LouisPortier
      LouisPortier Subscriber last edited by

      Hi,

      A redirection chain is usually defined as a page redirecting to another page which itself is another redirection.

      URL1 ---(301/302)---> URL2 ---(301/302)---> URL3

      But what about Javascript redirect? They seem to be a different beast:

      URL1 ---(301/302)---> URL2 ---(200 then Javascript redirect)---> URL3

      From what I know if the javascript redirect is instant Google counts it as a 301 permanent redirection, but I'm still not sure about if this counts as a redirection chain.

      Most of the tools (such as moz) only see the first redirection.

      So is that scenario a redirection chain or no?

      evanmirk vimu786 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • freepointofsales
        freepointofsales last edited by

        It's a delicate balance between efficient routing and ensuring seamless transitions, where every decision shapes the user's path and perception. myvirtualworkplace

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • vimu786
          vimu786 @LouisPortier last edited by

          @LouisPortier said in Redirection chain and Javascript Redirect:

          Hi,

          A redirection chain is usually defined as a page redirecting to another page which itself is another redirection.

          URL1 ---(301/302)---> URL2 ---(301/302)---> URL3

          But what about Javascript redirect? They seem to be a different beast:

          URL1 ---(301/302)---> URL2 ---(200 then Javascript redirect)---> URL3

          From what I know if the javascript redirect is instant Google counts it as a 301 permanent redirection, but I'm still not sure about if this counts as a redirection chain.

          Most of the tools (such as moz) only see the first redirection.

          So is that scenario a redirection chain or no?

          A JavaScript redirect, on the other hand, is a redirect that occurs using JavaScript code embedded in a webpage. Instead of relying on server-side redirects, JavaScript redirects are triggered when the page loads or when certain conditions are met, and they instruct the browser to navigate to a different URL. They can be used for various purposes, such as redirecting users after a certain amount of time, after a form submission, or based on user interactions.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • freepointofsales
            freepointofsales last edited by

            Understanding the intricacies of redirection chains and JavaScript redirects is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. Proper implementation ensures smooth navigation and avoids unnecessary delays. Visit more

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • freepointofsales
              freepointofsales last edited by

              Understanding the intricacies of redirection chains and JavaScript redirects is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. Proper implementation ensures smooth navigation and avoids unnecessary delays. Visit more

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • freepointofsales
                freepointofsales last edited by

                Understanding the intricacies of redirection chains and JavaScript redirects is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. Proper implementation ensures smooth navigation and avoids unnecessary delays. Visit more

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • freepointofsales
                  freepointofsales last edited by

                  Understanding the intricacies of redirection chains and JavaScript redirects is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. Proper implementation ensures smooth navigation and avoids unnecessary delays. Visit more

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • freepointofsales
                    freepointofsales last edited by

                    Understanding the intricacies of redirection chains and JavaScript redirects is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. Proper implementation ensures smooth navigation and avoids unnecessary delays. Visit more

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • freepointofsales
                      freepointofsales last edited by

                      Understanding the intricacies of redirection chains and JavaScript redirects is crucial for optimizing website performance and user experience. Proper implementation ensures smooth navigation and avoids unnecessary delays. Visit more

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • James.Mathew
                        James.Mathew last edited by

                        I appreciate your detailed explanation. To enhance accuracy in tracing redirects, ensure a cohesive sequence. Consider using a unified approach for hash numbers, perhaps generating a unique identifier for each transition. Additionally, refine the code logic to account for different redirection techniques, ensuring a seamless and connected mapping of the entire journey from A to D. If possible, share snippets of your code for more targeted guidance. shopify website design servicee austin

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • Heatheranderson
                          Heatheranderson last edited by

                          Thank you for the valuable feedback. While the current code successfully executes, it lacks accuracy in tracing the redirect sequence. The issue stems from the disjointed nature of the captured redirects, as seen in the isolated transitions from A to B, B to C, and C to D, where randomly generated hash numbers (channel_1 and channel_2) are utilized. This disrupts the continuity of the redirect chain, resulting in an inaccurate representation of the actual progression from A through D.

                          The objective is to effectively track the entire journey, encompassing transitions from A to B to C to D, across various redirection techniques such as meta-refresh, JavaScript, and HTTP redirects. I would greatly appreciate your guidance on refining the code to maintain the integrity of the redirect sequence, ensuring a connected and sequential mapping of the redirection process. Liteblue

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • Heatheranderson
                            Heatheranderson last edited by

                            Thank you for the valuable feedback. While the current code successfully executes, it lacks accuracy in tracing the redirect sequence. The issue stems from the disjointed nature of the captured redirects, as seen in the isolated transitions from A to B, B to C, and C to D, where randomly generated hash numbers (channel_1 and channel_2) are utilized. This disrupts the continuity of the redirect chain, resulting in an inaccurate representation of the actual progression from A through D.

                            The objective is to effectively track the entire journey, encompassing transitions from A to B to C to D, across various redirection techniques such as meta-refresh, JavaScript, and HTTP redirects. I would greatly appreciate your guidance on refining the code to maintain the integrity of the redirect sequence, ensuring a connected and sequential mapping of the redirection process. Liteblue

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • silcename123
                              silcename123 last edited by

                              In the scenario you described, where there is a sequence of redirects involving both HTTP redirects (301/302) and a JavaScript redirect, it can be considered a redirection chain. The key point is that each step in the sequence contributes to the final destination of the URL.

                              In your example:

                              1. URL1 redirects to URL2 using an HTTP 301/302 status code.
                              2. URL2, after an HTTP 200 response, triggers a JavaScript redirect to URL3.

                              From Google's perspective, if the JavaScript redirect is instantaneous and does not introduce a delay, it might treat it similarly to a traditional 301 permanent redirect. However, it's important to note that search engines may interpret JavaScript redirects differently, and their behavior may evolve over time.

                              Tools like Moz may sometimes focus on the initial HTTP redirect and not delve into subsequent steps, potentially overlooking the complete redirection chain. Therefore, discrepancies in what different tools report could occur.

                              For a more comprehensive understanding, you might consider using tools or methods that specifically analyze JavaScript-based redirects or inspect the network requests in a browser's developer tools to see the entire redirection sequence. This way, you can get a clearer picture of how search engines and various tools interpret the entire redirection chain, including both HTTP and JavaScript redirects.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • arron-williams
                                arron-williams last edited by

                                Thank you for the insightful feedback. While the current code executes successfully, it falls short in accurately tracing the redirect sequence. The issue lies in the disjoint nature of the captured redirects, exemplified by the isolated transitions A->B, B->C, and C->D, where the hash numbers (channel_1 and channel_2) are generated randomly. This disrupts the continuity of the redirect chain, failing to reflect the actual progression from A through D. The goal is to effectively track the entire journey, A->B->C->D, across different redirection techniques such as meta-refresh, JavaScript, and HTTP redirects. Could you provide guidance on how to refine the code to maintain the integrity of the redirect sequence, ensuring a connected and sequential mapping of the redirection process?

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • arron-williams
                                  arron-williams last edited by

                                  Thank you for the insightful feedback. While the current code executes successfully, it falls short in accurately tracing the redirect sequence. The issue lies in the disjoint nature of the captured redirects, exemplified by the isolated transitions A->B, B->C, and C->D, where the hash numbers (channel_1 and channel_2) are generated randomly. This disrupts the continuity of the redirect chain, failing to reflect the actual progression from A through D. The goal is to effectively track the entire journey, A->B->C->D, across different redirection techniques such as meta-refresh, JavaScript, and HTTP redirects. Could you provide guidance on how to refine the code to maintain the integrity of the redirect sequence, ensuring a connected and sequential mapping of the redirection process? Liteblue

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • basit11
                                    basit11 last edited by

                                    Thank you for your feedback. While the code is currently functional, it doesn't yield the expected outcome. The recorded redirect chain appears disjointed, capturing transitions like A->B (channel_1 -> channel_2), B->C (channel_1 -> channel_2), and C->D (channel_1 -> channel_2). The issue lies in the randomly generated hash numbers (channel_1 and channel_2), preventing the proper linkage of the redirect chain. The goal is to accurately capture sequential events such as A->B->C->D, considering various redirection methods like meta-refresh, JavaScript, and HTTP. How can I modify the code to implement this strategy and ensure the redirection chain is connected as intended?

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • basit11
                                      basit11 last edited by

                                      Thank you for your feedback. Although the code is functional, it does not produce the expected result. Currently, the recorded redirect chain is disjointed, capturing transitions like A->B (channel_1 -> channel_2), B->C (channel_1 -> channel_2), and C->D (channel_1 -> channel_2). In this case, the hash numbers (channel_1 and channel_2) are randomly generated, preventing the proper linking of the redirect chain. The objective is to accurately capture the sequential events of A->B->C->D, considering various redirection methods such as meta-refresh, JavaScript, and HTTP. How can I modify the code to achieve this strategy and ensure the redirection chain is connected as intended? Liteblue

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • liteblue22022
                                        liteblue22022 last edited by

                                        thx, the code works, but not as expected: A->B->C->D (channel_1 -> channel_2 -> channel_3 -> channel_4).

                                        In my case it will record a redirect chain of A->B->C->D like:

                                        A->B (channel_1 -> channel_2), than B->C (channel_1 -> channel_2), C->D (channel_1 -> channel_2); where channel_1 & channel_2 are random hash numbers.

                                        So I can not link the chain together. that would be the strategy to capture the chain of events (while the pages redirect using, meta-refresh, javascript, http...)? Liteblue USPS

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • evanmirk
                                          evanmirk @LouisPortier last edited by

                                          window.location.replace('http://example.com');
                                          

                                          It's better than using window.location.href = 'http://example.com';

                                          Using replace() is better because it does not keep the originating page in the session history, meaning the user won't get stuck in a never-ending back-button fiasco.

                                          If you want to simulate someone clicking on a link, use window.location.href

                                          If you want to simulate an HTTP redirect, use window.location.replace

                                          You can use assign() and replace methods also to javascript redirect to other pages like the following:

                                          location.assign("http://example.com");
                                          

                                          The difference between replace() method and assign() method(), is that replace() removes the URL of the current document from the document history, means it is not possible to use the "back" button to navigate back to the original document. So Use the assign() method if you want to load a new document, andwant to give the option to navigate back to the original document.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • 1 / 1
                                          • First post
                                            Last post

                                          Got a burning SEO question?

                                          Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.


                                          Start my free trial


                                          Browse Questions

                                          Explore more categories

                                          • Moz Tools

                                            Chat with the community about the Moz tools.

                                          • SEO Tactics

                                            Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers

                                          • Community

                                            Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!

                                          • Digital Marketing

                                            Chat about tactics outside of SEO

                                          • Research & Trends

                                            Dive into research and trends in the search industry.

                                          • Support

                                            Connect on product support and feature requests.

                                          • See all categories

                                          Related Questions

                                          • photoseo1

                                            Redirecting an Entire Website?

                                            redirecting domain redirect former site

                                            Is it best to redirect an old website to a new website page by page to like pages or just the entire site all at once to the home page of the new site? I do have about 10 good pages on the site that are worth directing to corresponding pages on the new site. Just trying to figure out what is going to preserve the most link juice. Thanks for the help!

                                            Technical SEO | | photoseo1
                                            0
                                          • AllChargedUp

                                            How do you fix redirect chains and temporary redirects?

                                            Hi, I have a lot of issues popping up with temporary redirects and redirect chains. I'm still confused as to what exactly redirect chains are and I don't know how to find where the "chains" are or how to fix them. I'm having two issues mainly:1. Temporary RedirectsI have around 100 pages on our www.twowayradiosfor.com website that are being flagged as temporary redirects. All of them have one thing in common: they are review pages (basically, when a customer clicks on the Review button to review a certain product, they are redirected to a review page for that product).URL Example:  https://www.twowayradiosfor.com/reviewhelpful.asp?ProductCode=CLS1410-COMBO&ID=44&yes=noI went into our website and set any URL containing the following as noindex:/review.aspWill that fix the issue? If yes, will I also need to do that for any URL containing /reviewhelpful.asp?2. Redirect ChainsIt seems like basically every product page on my website has this issue (over 100 pages). Here's an example of one:https://www.twowayradiosfor.com/Motorola-CLS1110-p/cls1110.htmI don't see any broken links on this page or links that redirect to another page that redirects, etc. What is causing this? Is it something on my header bar that is redirecting (since that header bar appears on every page, maybe that is why this issue shows up on a lot of pages)?I am new to Moz and still trying to figure this stuff out. I really appreciate any help. Thanks, Sawyer

                                            Technical SEO | | AllChargedUp
                                            0
                                          • ztalk112

                                            301 redirect: canonical or non canonical?

                                            Hi, Newbie alert! I need to set up 301 redirects for changed URLs on a database driven site that is to be redeveloped shortly. The current site uses canonical header tags. The new site will also use canonical tags. Should the 301 redirects map the canonical URL on the old site to the corresponding canonical for the new design . . . or should they map the non canonical database URLs old and new? Given that the purpose of canonicals is to indicate our preferred URL, then my guess is that's what I should use. However, how can I be sure that Google (for example) has indexed the canonical in every case? Thx in anticipation.

                                            Technical SEO | | ztalk112
                                            0
                                          • SDSLaw

                                            Questions about the Sandbox and 301 Redirects

                                            Does the sandbox still exist?  What if you have a brand new URL and do a 301 redirect from another website because the name of the service business changed? Thanks for any insight and help.

                                            Technical SEO | | SDSLaw
                                            0
                                          • etruvian

                                            What to do with 302 redirects being indexed

                                            Hi there, Our site's forums include permalinks that for some reason uses an intermediary URL that 302 redirects to the URL with the permalink anchor. For example: http://en.tradimo.com/learn/chart-analysis/time-frames/ In the comments, there is a permalink to the following URL; en.tradimo.com/co/50c450005f2b949e3200001b/  (there is no content here, and never has been).  This URL 302 redirects to the following final URL: http://en.tradimo.com/learn/chart-analysis/time-frames/?offset=0&limit=20#50c450005f2b949e3200001b The problem is, Google is indexing the redirect URL (en.tradimo.com/co/50c450005f2b949e3200001b/) and showing duplicate content even though we are using the nofollow tag on these links. Ideally, we would directly use the last link rather than redirecting.  Alternatively, I'd say a 301 redirect would be preferable.  But if both aren't available, is there a way to get these pages out of the index? Is the canonical tag the best way?  I really wish I could just add /co/ to the robots.txt file, but I think they would still be in the index, right? Thanks for your help!

                                            Technical SEO | | etruvian
                                            0
                                          • Alick300

                                            301 redirect using javascript

                                            Can I use javascript code to redirect(301) a webpage?

                                            Technical SEO | | Alick300
                                            0
                                          • NaescentAdam

                                            Index.php and 301 redirect with Joomla

                                            Hi, I'm running Joomla 1.7 with SEF on and I'm trying to do a htaccess redirect which fails. I have approximately 100 in effect so far and all working fine, but I have one snag. Index.php is not working as I need it to when it's redirected to www.myurl.com/ If I turn on index.php redirect to root using this code #index.php to root
                                            RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^myurl.com$ [OR]
                                            RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www.myurl.com$
                                            RewriteRule ^index.php$ "http://www.myurl.com/" [R=301,L] And then go to www.myurl.com/test.html I'm redirected to the homepage. I think this is because all pages are index.php in joomla. SEOMOZ and Google both think that index.php and root are duplicate pages. Does anyone have any advice for overcoming this? Thanks, Adam

                                            Technical SEO | | NaescentAdam
                                            0
                                          • askthetrainer

                                            How to Redirect only specific pages to new domain

                                            My HTACCESS FILE IS AS FOLLOWS: rewriteengine on
                                            rewritecond %{HTTP_HOST} ^mydomain.com$
                                            rewriterule ^mydomain/(.*)$ "http://www.mydomain.com/$1" [R=301,L] #4d864805b49b5 I want to move ONLY specific pages from this domain to a new domain How do I edit my HTACCESS (which redirects http:// to www.) to move specific pages from old domain (which I have to delete) to new domain.... I.e. http://mydomaon.com/move.html needs to move to http://mynewdomain.com/move.html Where i can delete the original domains

                                            Technical SEO | | askthetrainer
                                            0

                                          Get started with Moz Pro!

                                          Unlock the power of advanced SEO tools and data-driven insights.

                                          Start my free trial
                                          Products
                                          • Moz Pro
                                          • Moz Local
                                          • Moz API
                                          • Moz Data
                                          • STAT
                                          • Product Updates
                                          Moz Solutions
                                          • SMB Solutions
                                          • Agency Solutions
                                          • Enterprise Solutions
                                          Free SEO Tools
                                          • Domain Authority Checker
                                          • Link Explorer
                                          • Keyword Explorer
                                          • Competitive Research
                                          • Brand Authority Checker
                                          • MozBar Extension
                                          • MozCast
                                          Resources
                                          • Blog
                                          • SEO Learning Center
                                          • Help Hub
                                          • Beginner's Guide to SEO
                                          • How-to Guides
                                          • Moz Academy
                                          • API Docs
                                          About Moz
                                          • About
                                          • Team
                                          • Careers
                                          • Contact
                                          Why Moz
                                          • Case Studies
                                          • Testimonials
                                          Get Involved
                                          • Become an Affiliate
                                          • MozCon
                                          • Webinars
                                          • Practical Marketer Series
                                          • MozPod
                                          Connect with us

                                          Contact the Help team

                                          Join our newsletter
                                          Moz logo
                                          © 2021 - 2025 SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. Moz is a registered trademark of SEOMoz, Inc.
                                          • Accessibility
                                          • Terms of Use
                                          • Privacy

                                          Looks like your connection to Moz was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.