Understand 302 redirects
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Found, Temporary Move.
The 302 HTTP status code means "Found". It is not an error — the requested URL lives somewhere else for now, but the move is temporary and the original address still counts.
A 302 is a redirect, not an error. Like a 301 it sends the client to a different URL, but it signals a temporary move: the original address stays the canonical one and should keep being requested.
When to use 302 over 301
Reach for a 302 when the redirect is not meant to last:
- A maintenance or holding page while the real content is offline
- A/B tests or geo-based routing where the source URL must stay live
- A login or paywall gate that bounces visitors and later lets them through
- Any rule that might be removed again soon
If the move is final, use a 301 instead.
Browser caching
A 302 is not cached the way a 301 is. By default browsers keep requesting the original URL and follow the redirect each time, so removing the rule takes effect right away. That makes 302 the safer choice while a redirect is still in flux — there is no permanent entry stuck in visitors' browsers to undo.
$ curl -I https://example.com/sale
HTTP/2 302
location: https://example.com/landing
SEO considerations
Search engines treat a 302 as temporary, so they keep the original URL in the index and do not transfer ranking to the target. That is correct for a short-lived redirect, but a common mistake for a permanent one.
- Using 302 for a permanent move means the new URL never inherits the old ranking.
- For a real move, switch to a 301 so the index and link equity follow.
- When unsure, a 302 is the reversible default — promote it to 301 once the target is confirmed stable.
Set up a 302
Custom redirects on fortrabbit are written in .htaccess with mod_rewrite. The redirect examples use R=301; swap in R=302 for a temporary redirect. See Redirects with .htaccess.