redirected

Redirected refers to the state or action of sending a request or resource to a different destination than originally specified. In information technology, redirecting is a deliberate mechanism to route users, applications, or data to another location without requiring explicit action by the user.

In web servers, redirects are implemented through HTTP status codes in the 3xx range. A server responds with a status such as 301 Moved Permanently or 302 Found and includes a Location header indicating the target URL. Clients typically follow the instruction automatically.

There are client-side redirects, such as HTML meta refresh tags or JavaScript, and server-side redirects configured in software like Apache or Nginx. DNS-based redirection can use CNAME aliases, though this operates at the domain name system level rather than the HTTP layer.

Common reasons for redirecting include site restructuring or migration, domain consolidation, canonicalization to canonical URL versions, regional or device targeting, and temporary maintenance. SEO-conscious implementations distinguish permanent (301/308) from temporary (302/307) redirects to inform search engines.

Potential issues include redirect loops or chains that slow access, caching complications, and security risks such as open redirects that can be abused in phishing schemes. Proper configuration, monitoring, and validation are essential to ensure redirects behave as intended.

Redirected resources are a fundamental part of web architecture, content management, and link maintenance, enabling resources to be moved without breaking references while preserving users' access paths.