Link terminology
301 vs 302 redirects
A 301 response describes a permanent redirect, while a 302 describes a temporary or flexible redirect that may change in the future.
Also called: permanent redirect, temporary redirect, HTTP redirect status
Definition in plain language
A 301 response describes a permanent redirect, while a 302 describes a temporary or flexible redirect that may change in the future.
- 1Request
A visitor requests the short URL.
- 2Evaluate
The service checks link status, schedule, access controls, and routing rules.
- 3Decide
The selected destination is returned in the Location header.
- 4Report
The browser follows the destination using the configured 301 or 302 status.
Why 301 vs 302 redirects matters
Redirect status affects how browsers, crawlers, and intermediaries understand a short URL. Flexible campaigns, targeting, and experiments normally need a temporary redirect because the destination can change by rule or over time.
The useful question is not merely whether a request happened. It is what kind of request it was, which rule handled it, and what conclusion the resulting data can support. Clear terminology prevents teams from treating every technical event as a person, every redirect as engagement, or every click as a conversion.
How it works step by step
A short-link system evaluates a request in a defined order. The exact sequence matters because an earlier status, access, or routing decision can prevent later rules from running.
For this concept, the practical workflow is:
- A visitor requests the short URL.
- The service checks link status, schedule, access controls, and routing rules.
- The selected destination is returned in the Location header.
- The browser follows the destination using the configured 301 or 302 status.
How to interpret the result
Read the result in the context of the configured link and the evidence available at request time. Browser signals, network location, cookies, referrers, and user agents are useful but imperfect.
Compare like with like: use the same date range, traffic filters, link ownership, and campaign definition. A change in classification or routing can change a report even when audience demand has not changed.
Deterministic example
The values below are example data, shown so every total can be checked from the visible rows.
301 redirect compared with 302 redirect
How DrutoLink handles this
DrutoLink supports 301 and 302 behavior on managed links. The editor describes 302 as the flexible, fully tracked choice for links whose destination or rules may change.
Responses include cache-control protections intended to prevent cached routing from distorting dynamic behavior, but clients can still interpret permanent redirects more aggressively.
Limitations to keep in mind
- A 301 can be cached by clients and is a poor fit for changing destinations or per-visitor routing.
- Neither status code guarantees SEO outcomes; search engines consider many signals.
- A redirect does not transfer access control or content from the destination.
Frequently asked questions
Should a URL shortener use 301 or 302?
Use 302 for editable or dynamically routed links. Use 301 only when the destination is intentionally permanent.
Does a 301 stop analytics?
Not automatically, but client caching can reduce how often the shortening service receives later requests.
Can I change a 301 destination later?
The service can change it, but browsers or intermediaries may continue using a cached permanent destination.