Question 1

01 What is an HTTP Redirect Chain?

Accepted Answer

A redirect chain happens when an initial URL redirects through multiple intermediary stops before reaching its final destination (e.g., URL A -> URL B -> URL C). Each hop requires a new TCP and TLS handshake, significantly inflating page load times and diluting SEO crawl budget.

Question 2

02 What is the difference between 301 and 302?

Accepted Answer

A `301 Moved Permanently` tells search engines that the URL has moved indefinitely, passing virtually all link equity (PageRank) to the destination. A `302 Found` (or `307 Temporary Redirect`) indicates a temporary routing where the original URL retains its indexing status.

Question 3

03 Why does Google penalize Redirect Loops?

Accepted Answer

A redirect loop (e.g. A redirects to B, and B redirects back to A) causes web browsers to terminate with `ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS`. Search engine spiders cannot crawl or render the page, causing it to drop out of search results entirely.

Question 4

04 How should HTTP-to-HTTPS migrations be configured?

Accepted Answer

Best practice requires that all variations (http://domain.com, http://www.domain.com, https://domain.com) resolve directly in a single 301 step to the single canonical destination URL (e.g., https://www.domain.com), avoiding daisy-chained hops across unencrypted protocols.

Question 5

05 Why is per-hop latency critical for web performance?

Accepted Answer

Each hop adds 100 to 300 milliseconds to Time To First Byte (TTFB). Over mobile networks, a three-step redirect chain can delay the visual render by over a second, driving up bounce rates and hurting Core Web Vitals.

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