Do 301 redirects get cached?

Yes, browsers cache 301 redirects. This means users will not hit the original URL again. Clear browser cache or use Cache-Control headers to control this.

What about 307 and 308?

307 is like 302 but preserves the HTTP method (POST stays POST). 308 is like 301 but preserves the method. Use these when method preservation matters.

HTTP 301 vs 302 Redirects — Permanent vs Temporary

Informational3xx redirection

Overview

HTTP 301 is a permanent redirect and 302 is a temporary redirect. Choosing the wrong one impacts SEO, caching, and user experience.

Key Details

301 Moved Permanently — the resource has a new permanent URL
302 Found — the resource is temporarily at a different URL
301 passes SEO link equity to the new URL, 302 does not
Browsers cache 301 redirects aggressively, 302 redirects are re-checked
Search engines update their index for 301 but keep the original URL for 302

Common Causes

Website migrated to a new domain (use 301)
Page moved to a new URL path permanently (use 301)
A/B testing sending users to alternate pages temporarily (use 302)
Maintenance page redirect while the real page is updated (use 302)
Login redirect to authentication page (use 302)

Steps

1Use 301 for permanent URL changes: domain migrations, URL restructuring
2Use 302 for temporary redirects: A/B tests, maintenance, login flows
3In nginx: return 301 https://new-url (permanent) or return 302 https://temp-url (temporary)
4In Apache: Redirect 301 /old-path https://new-url or Redirect 302 /old-path https://temp-url
5Test redirects with curl -I URL to verify the status code