1-Minute Tutorial: Permanent (301) Redirect via PHP or htaccess

Here is an example of one of the most frequently asked PHP/htaccess-related questions I receive here at Perishable Press:

How do I redirect a specific page/URL using PHP/htaccess?

So common is this inquiry that I have decided to just post a quick, “one-minute” tutorial describing the technique.

Permanent (301) Redirect via PHP

To permanently redirect a page via PHP, place this code before all other content (i.e., at the very top of the document):

<?php // Permanent 301 Redirect via PHP
	header("HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently");
	header("Location: http://domain.tld/new/location/");
	exit();
?>

Alternately, this snippet may be consolidated into a single line as follows:

<?php header("Location: http://domain.tld/new/location/", true, 301); ?>

Once in place, this code (either method) will redirect the visitor to the address specified in the third line. Edit that address to match the redirect target and you’re all set. Note: when placed in a header file that is included in multiple web pages, this code will redirect all of them to the specified address.

Permanent (301) Redirect via htaccess

This one is even easier. To permanently redirect a page via htaccess, place this code in your target (e.g., root) htaccess file:

redirect 301 /path/to/old-file.php   http://domain.tld/path/to/new-file.php

This is a very common method of permanently redirecting single pages. Once in place, this code will redirect the visitor from the location listed first to the location listed second. Note that the first location is specified relative to the root directory (i.e., the directory in which the htaccess file is found), whereas the second location is specified as the complete URL.