My redirect rules from 2013 still work and yours don't
8 days ago
- #Redirect Rules
- #Web Development
- #URL Management
- The author's redirect rule from their first article 12 years ago still works, showcasing the durability of their URL management approach.
- URLs are treated as first-class assets due to their importance in connecting and discovering content on the internet.
- Initial URL format was simple (idiallo.com/:article-name), inspired by Derek Sivers, but evolved to include dates for better organization.
- A bug was introduced when leading zeros in months were inadvertently removed, creating duplicate content issues with Google.
- A viral article highlighted the permanence of shared links, making URL changes risky without proper redirects.
- The author transitioned from using a growing and complex .htaccess file to a version-controlled .conf file for redirect rules.
- Redirect rules were maintained across multiple URL format changes and article renames to preserve link integrity.
- The importance of treating URL management as a first-class problem to ensure long-term functionality and avoid broken links.
- Version-controlled redirect rules have survived framework rewrites, server migrations, and a decade of URL design changes.
- The internet's long memory necessitates careful URL management to uphold promises made to users who bookmark or share links.