This translation has not been editorially reviewed yet. The German version is authoritative. Deutsche Fassung →
meta-refresh and JavaScript redirects: the weaker kind of redirect
Redirects belong in the HTTP response, not in the page content. The check establishes whether a page redirects via meta-refresh or via JavaScript — both are weaker for search engines and more unpleasant for visitors.
- A real HTTP redirect is understood before any content even loads. A meta-refresh loads the page first, shows it briefly, and then jumps on — visible as a flicker.
- A JavaScript redirect is the weakest form: it only takes effect once the script has run. Where that doesn't happen, the visitor ends up on an empty intermediate page.
- For people using magnification or a screen reader, the jump is additionally disorienting: the reading-aloud process starts and cuts off.
