When does an Adobe Commerce URL rewrite issue an HTTP redirect?

Definition: An Adobe Commerce URL rewrite issues an HTTP redirect when its Redirect field is set to Temporary (302) or Permanent (301). When the field is set to No, the record specifies no redirect and the URL is handled as an internal rewrite.

Key facts

• Adobe Commerce describes a URL rewrite as an internal mapping that leaves the URL in the browser's address bar unchanged. Its URL redirect sends an HTTP response that instructs the browser to use another URL. Adobe Commerce's URL rewrites documentation defines the two operations.
• In a custom rewrite, the Redirect field offers No, Temporary (302), and Permanent (301). The custom rewrite documentation says that No specifies no redirect.
• A custom rewrite uses Request Path for the page being redirected and Target Path for the destination path. The request path must be unique for the specified store.
• Adobe Commerce documents that all GET parameters in the URL are removed during redirection.

What does the Redirect field control?

Adobe Commerce's custom rewrite form separates the source from the destination. Request Path identifies the page that receives the request, and Target Path identifies the internal path used by the system for the destination. The request path must be unique for the specified store. A record can therefore describe a path mapping without asking the browser to leave the requested URL.

The Redirect field determines whether that mapping also sends a redirect response:

Redirect: No
Redirect: Temporary (302)
Redirect: Permanent (301)

The field description defines No as no redirect. It defines Temporary (302) as a rewrite for a limited time and Permanent (301) as a permanent rewrite. The selected value is part of the saved rewrite record.

What happens to the browser?

With No, Adobe Commerce treats the record as a URL rewrite. The server maps the requested URL internally, so the browser continues to display the original address. The target is processed behind the scenes.

With Temporary (302) or Permanent (301), the record is configured as a URL redirect. Adobe Commerce sends an HTTP response that instructs the browser to load the target, and the browser updates its address bar. The status code communicates whether the redirect is temporary or permanent.

The custom rewrite workflow lets the target be an existing page or a fully qualified URL on another website. Its example uses a request path such as product.html and a destination on different-website.com. This makes the field choice relevant for both an internal destination and a cross-domain destination.

How can you check a rewrite record?

Open Marketing > SEO & Search > URL Rewrites in the Admin, search the Request Path, and open the record for the applicable store view. Read the Redirect field before interpreting the response: No indicates an internal mapping, while the two numbered values indicate an HTTP redirect configuration.

Adobe Commerce instructs you to test the original redirect-from path in a browser after saving. The documentation says that the new target page appears instead of the original page request.

During a redirect, Adobe Commerce removes all GET parameters specified in the URL for security reasons. A test URL that includes a query string therefore needs to be checked separately from the clean source path.

Related terms

• How are Adobe Commerce URL rewrites scoped to a store view?
• How can Adobe Commerce limit automatic category URL rewrite generation?

FAQ

Does every Adobe Commerce rewrite return a 301?

No. The custom rewrite form includes No, Temporary (302), and Permanent (301). The selected No value specifies no redirect.

Which value sends a temporary redirect?

Choose Temporary (302) in the Redirect field. Adobe Commerce describes this option as a rewrite for a limited time.

Which value sends a permanent redirect?

Choose Permanent (301) in the Redirect field. Adobe Commerce describes this option as a permanent rewrite.

Sources

1. Adobe Commerce, "URL rewrites", 8 October 2026
2. Adobe Commerce, "Custom URL rewrites", 8 October 2026

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