Use an HTTP 302 when a URL change is temporary and a 301 when the resource has moved permanently. In Apache, Redirect is the shortest option for a fixed mapping, while mod_rewrite handles conditions and regular expressions. In Nginx, use return for a fixed destination and rewrite for pattern-based transformations.
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The examples below show where each directive belongs, how to preserve or discard paths and query strings, how to avoid redirect loops, and how to test a rule safely before deploying a permanent redirect.
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302 or 301: choose the status before writing the rule
A redirect is an HTTP response containing a status code and usually a Location header. The client then requests the URL in that header.
| Use case | Status | Apache | Nginx |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary campaign, maintenance page, experiment or short-lived routing change | 302 Found | Redirect temp, omitted status in Redirect, or [R=302,L] |
return 302 or rewrite ... redirect |
| Permanent page, domain or protocol move | 301 Moved Permanently | Redirect permanent or [R=301,L] |
return 301 or rewrite ... permanent |
Apache’s Redirect directive defaults to a temporary 302 when no status is specified. Apache mod_rewrite also defaults to 302 when the R flag has no number. Nginx’s rewrite directive uses 302 with the redirect flag. A 301 should be used only after the destination, path handling and query-string behavior have been tested, because clients and intermediaries can retain permanent redirect decisions.
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Do not choose a status merely because the destination is on another host. A host change can be temporary or permanent; classify the business change first. Keep a 302 while a campaign, migration, experiment or maintenance route is still being evaluated, then change the rule to 301 when the old address will no longer be used.
Choose the simplest directive that fits
| Server | Directive | Best for | Typical context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Redirect (mod_alias) |
One-to-one path or host mappings with no conditions | Server configuration, virtual host, directory or .htaccess |
| Apache | RewriteRule (mod_rewrite) |
Regular expressions, conditions, protocol checks and header-based logic | Server or virtual-host configuration; also .htaccess when allowed |
| Nginx | return |
A fixed status and destination | server or location block |
| Nginx | rewrite |
Regular-expression transformations and conditional URI processing | server or location block |
Prefer the fixed form whenever the destination is fixed. Fewer matching rules mean fewer ordering surprises and less opportunity for a loop. Apache’s Redirect comes from mod_alias, whereas RewriteRule requires the rewrite engine. On Nginx, a return statement is often easier to review than a regular expression when no transformation is needed.
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Where Apache evaluates a rule
Place a simple mapping in the virtual host or main server configuration when you control Apache. A hosting account may restrict you to .htaccess; the server must have overrides enabled for redirect directives to work there. Rules in a virtual host and rules in .htaccess do not receive exactly the same URL path, so test the rule in the context where it will run.
Create a permanent path redirect with Redirect
This server- or virtual-host configuration sends a 301 for the old path:
Redirect permanent "/old-page" "https://www.example.com/new-page"permanent means HTTP 301. The path argument identifies the incoming URL path and the final argument is the absolute destination. Apache also supports temp for an explicit 302:
Redirect temp "/campaign" "https://www.example.com/campaign-preview"Leaving out the status has the same temporary result:
Redirect "/campaign" "https://www.example.com/campaign-preview"Use this form for a straightforward mapping. It avoids a regular-expression engine and is easier to audit than a rewrite rule.
Map an entire old Apache host
A separate port-80 virtual host is a clear way to move every URL from an old hostname:
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName old.example.com
Redirect permanent "/" "https://www.example.com/"
</VirtualHost>The root path makes the rule apply to paths below it as well. Keep the old and new ServerName values distinct; otherwise the destination host can match the same virtual host and redirect repeatedly. Test a nested path and its query string rather than assuming the root example covers every application route.
Use RewriteRule for patterns and conditions
Enable the rewrite engine and capture the changing part of the path:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule "^/old/(.*)$" "https://www.example.com/new/$1" [R=301,L]The expression captures everything after /old/ and places it after /new/. Change the flag to R=302 for a temporary redirect. Apache recommends using the external-redirect R flag with L: without L, later rules can process the generated redirect again and produce invalid requests or loops.
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In a per-directory .htaccess file, Apache removes the directory prefix before matching. For a file at the document root, the equivalent rule is commonly written without the leading slash:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule "^old/(.*)$" "https://www.example.com/new/$1" [R=301,L]Use the form appropriate to the configuration context and verify it with a request to the actual public URL.
Redirect HTTP to HTTPS
When the entire HTTP virtual host should move to HTTPS, Apache’s simple server-configuration pattern is:
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<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerName www.example.com
Redirect permanent "/" "https://www.example.com/"
</VirtualHost>The path slash makes the rule cover every path in that virtual host. Keep the HTTP and HTTPS virtual hosts separate so that the HTTPS host does not redirect back to itself.
If only .htaccess is available, check the connection scheme before redirecting:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule "^(.*)" "https://%{SERVER_NAME}$1" [R=301,L]Behind a load balancer or reverse proxy, the edge connection to Apache may be HTTP even when the visitor used HTTPS. In that arrangement, test a trusted X-Forwarded-Proto value that the controlled proxy overwrites. Do not accept an arbitrary client-supplied header as proof of HTTPS.
Control Apache query-string behavior
When a rewrite creates a new query string, Apache normally replaces the old one. The QSA flag (query-string append) keeps the original parameters and appends them to the new query string. The QSD flag (query-string discard) explicitly removes the incoming parameters.
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RewriteRule "^/search$" "/results?source=redirect" [R=302,QSD,L]A request for /search?term=router becomes /results?source=redirect; term=router is discarded because of QSD. If both the new parameter and the old parameters are required, use QSA instead:
RewriteRule "^/search$" "/results?source=redirect" [R=302,QSA,L]Decide deliberately whether tracking parameters, filters, authentication tokens or other user data should survive. Do not rely on an accidental default.
Order Apache rules to prevent reprocessing
Apache processes rewrite rules through URL-to-filename and fixup phases. A broad rule placed before a narrow rule can intercept the request first. Put specific exceptions above general redirects, and terminate an external redirect with [L]. If several virtual hosts are configured, confirm that the request reaches the intended ServerName before debugging the rule itself.
Nginx redirects
Put fixed redirects in the matching block
Nginx permits return in a server or location context. For one exact path, an exact-match location and a fixed 301 are clear:
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location = /old-page {
return 301 https://www.example.com/new-page;
}The temporary equivalent is:
location = /maintenance {
return 302 https://www.example.com/status;
}Nginx supports redirect response codes including 301, 302, 303 and 307 with return. The first argument is the response code; the optional second argument is the redirect URL (or response text for non-redirect responses).
Transform paths with rewrite
Use a regular expression when several old URLs share a pattern:
rewrite ^/old/(.*)$ https://www.example.com/new/$1 permanent;The permanent flag returns 301. Replace it with redirect for 302:
rewrite ^/old/(.*)$ https://www.example.com/new/$1 redirect;Nginx evaluates rewrite directives in a defined sequence. If a rewrite changes the URI and should trigger a fresh location search, add last. If processing should continue in the current location without restarting location selection, use break. Choosing the wrong flag can send a request through the same rule repeatedly or bypass the handler you intended.
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Use a separate server block for an old hostname and return the original request URI:
server {
listen 80;
server_name old.example.com;
return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri;
}$request_uri contains the path and the original query string, so /docs/start?lang=en is sent to the same path and query on the new host. A dedicated server block is preferable to an if-plus-rewrite construction for this task; the latter is unnecessarily cumbersome and can be ineffective.
Preserve or replace Nginx query strings
Nginx carries the original arguments forward when a rewrite replacement does not define a new argument string. If the replacement includes a new query string, it becomes the destination’s argument string. To intentionally remove the old arguments, use the documented empty-argument form (a trailing ? in configurations that use that syntax) and test the resulting Location header. For a fixed destination where query handling must be obvious, a return URL that includes the exact parameters is easier to review.
Apache and Nginx: practical differences
| Decision point | Apache | Nginx |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed destination | Redirect permanent or Redirect temp |
return 301 or return 302 |
| Pattern or condition | RewriteCond and RewriteRule |
rewrite with a regular expression; use variables and block selection for conditions |
| Configuration location | Server, virtual host, directory and possibly .htaccess |
server and location; no per-directory .htaccess equivalent |
| Temporary default | Redirect without a status and R without a number produce 302 |
rewrite ... redirect produces 302 |
| Rule termination or flow | Use [L] with an external R rule |
Choose last to restart location lookup or break to stay in the current location |
| Query-string controls | QSA appends; QSD discards |
Original arguments are retained unless replacement syntax supplies or suppresses them |
The platforms can produce the same HTTP result, but their processing models differ. Porting a rule line-for-line is less reliable than translating the intent: fixed mapping, pattern transformation, protocol test or host canonicalization.
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Security rules for redirects and proxying
Prevent open redirects
Keep redirect destinations in configuration whenever possible. If an application must accept a destination parameter, validate it against an allowlist of schemes, hosts and permitted paths. Never concatenate an unchecked next, url or similar parameter into a Location header. An open redirect can send users to a convincing phishing site and can undermine security checks that trust your domain.
Do not turn user input into an Apache proxy target
Apache’s [P] flag proxies a request rather than merely redirecting it. Passing a user-controlled host or URL to that flag creates a server-side request forgery risk. Restrict proxy destinations to known upstreams and validate both scheme and host before proxying.
Trust forwarded headers only from your proxy
For HTTPS detection behind a load balancer, use a forwarded-protocol header only when the trusted proxy removes and rewrites it. If clients can set the header themselves, they can bypass the condition or create redirect loops.
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Test a redirect before making it permanent
Test the old URL directly, without following redirects first, so that you can inspect the status and destination:
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curl -I -L https://www.example.com/old-pageRepeat the test with a representative query string:
curl -I 'https://www.example.com/old-page&page=2'Before deploying a 301, check all of the following:
- The old URL returns the intended status code.
- The
Locationvalue has the correct scheme, host, path and encoding. - Query parameters are retained, replaced or removed exactly as designed.
- The destination returns a normal success response and does not redirect back.
- Both a matching URL and a near miss behave correctly.
- HTTP-to-HTTPS and old-host-to-new-host rules do not create extra hops or a loop.
After editing Apache configuration, validate the configuration with the server’s configuration-test command before reloading. For Nginx, run the configuration test command supplied by your installation before reload. Keep a temporary 302 while verifying application links, cookies and query handling; change it to 301 only when the mapping is final.
Troubleshooting common failures
The rule never matches
Check that the directive is in the active virtual host or server block, that the hostname resolves to that instance, and that the path form matches the context. Apache .htaccess rules commonly omit the leading slash, whereas server-context rules can include it. In Nginx, confirm that a more specific location is not handling the request first.
The browser reports too many redirects
Inspect each hop with curl -I -L. Typical causes are an HTTPS rule that does not recognize the proxy’s forwarded scheme, an old-host rule that also matches the new host, or an Apache rule that continues processing after an external redirect. Correct the scheme test, narrow the host match and add [L] where appropriate.
The path is correct but parameters disappear
Review the query-string decision explicitly. In Apache, add QSA when old arguments must be appended or QSD when they must be discarded. In Nginx, inspect whether the rewrite replacement contains a new argument string or an explicit suppression marker.
A regex redirect rewrites more URLs than intended
Anchor the expression with ^ and $, escape literal dots, and test representative non-matches. Put exceptions above broad rules. A fixed Redirect or return is safer when a regex is not actually needed.
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Compare the active configuration context, proxy headers, hostname, URL base path and enabled Apache modules. A rule in .htaccess can behave differently from the same-looking rule in a virtual host, and a load balancer can change the scheme visible to the origin server.
FAQ
How do I create a temporary redirect in Apache?
Use Redirect temp for a fixed mapping, or RewriteRule with [R=302,L] when conditions or a pattern are required. Omitting the status on Redirect also returns 302.
How do I create a permanent 301 redirect in Nginx?
Put return 301 https://www.example.com/new-path; in the matching server or location block. Use rewrite ... permanent only when a regular-expression transformation is needed.
Should I use Apache Redirect or RewriteRule in .htaccess?
Choose Redirect for a direct path or host mapping with no conditions. Choose RewriteRule when you need regular expressions, HTTPS checks, header-based logic or explicit query-string flags. Confirm that overrides allow the selected directive.
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How do I preserve the path and query string when changing domains?
In Nginx, a dedicated old-host server block with return 301 https://www.example.com$request_uri; preserves both. In Apache, map the root path in the old virtual host or use a rewrite rule, then test nested paths and representative parameters; use QSA when a new query string must retain the old one.
Why does an HTTPS redirect loop behind a load balancer?
The origin may see HTTP even though the visitor used HTTPS. Check a trusted X-Forwarded-Proto value that the controlled proxy overwrites, and never trust a header clients can set themselves.
How can I intentionally remove query parameters?
Apache’s QSD flag discards the incoming query string. In Nginx, use the documented empty-argument replacement syntax and verify the emitted Location; do not assume parameters disappear by accident.
A concise implementation checklist
- Classify the move as temporary (302) or permanent (301).
- Choose
Redirector Nginxreturnfor a fixed mapping; choose rewrite rules only when patterns or conditions require them. - Write the rule in the correct Apache context or Nginx
server/locationblock. - Decide whether the original path and query string should be preserved, transformed or discarded.
- Terminate Apache external redirects with
[L]; select Nginxlastorbreakbased on whether a new location lookup is intended. - Keep destinations fixed or validate dynamic destinations against an allowlist.
- Test status,
Location, query strings and every hop with representative requests. - Deploy a 301 only after the mapping is final and the destination has passed those checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a 302 for a domain migration?
Yes, if the move is temporary or still being tested. Use 301 only when the old domain is permanently replaced and its destination has been verified.
Does Apache Redirect preserve the unmatched part of a path?
A root or path-prefix mapping can cover subordinate paths, but verify the resulting Location for nested URLs and query strings in the exact virtual-host or .htaccess context you use.
When should Nginx use last instead of break?
Use last when the changed URI should undergo a fresh location lookup. Use break when processing should remain in the current location; restarting a location that contains the same rule can create a loop.
Is a redirect the same as proxying?
No. A redirect sends the client to a new URL. Apache’s [P] flag proxies the request server-side, so an unchecked destination can create an SSRF vulnerability.
The Bottom Line
Use 302 while a route is temporary and 301 only for a tested permanent move. Keep fixed redirects simple, place each rule in the correct Apache or Nginx context, make path and query-string handling explicit, terminate or restart processing deliberately, and validate every destination before production.
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