GitHub: A case study in link maintenance and 404 pages (2013)
4 months ago
- #404-error
- #web-development
- #link-maintenance
- Link maintenance involves ensuring links remain functional over time, with 404 Not Found being a common failure.
- GitHub and Microsoft are criticized for poor link maintenance, with GitHub's 404 page being particularly unhelpful.
- A useful 404 page should indicate the error, explain the problem, and suggest actionable solutions.
- GitHub could improve by checking for moved files, branches, or repositories and providing relevant redirects or suggestions.
- GitHub's link architecture, based on branch names rather than immutable changeset IDs, leads to frequent broken links.
- Serving a static 404 page is computationally cheap, but a more dynamic, useful 404 page could enhance user experience.
- GitHub's recent addition of repository redirects is a step forward, but more comprehensive link maintenance is needed.
- The article advocates for better error pages and proactive link maintenance to prevent broken links.