Online Tool Store
Redirect Chain Explainer
Paste a traced HTTP redirect chain and get each hop explained in plain language, with SEO warnings for long or mixed-type chains. Runs entirely in your browser.
🔒 This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded to a server.
Example shown — one hop per line, as "from -> status -> to" or "from -> status" for the final response. Trace a chain with `curl -IL <url>`.
How it works
- Trace a redirect chain with `curl -IL <url>` or your browser's Network tab.
- Paste each hop as "from -> status -> to", one per line.
- See each hop explained, plus a summary of any issues in the chain.
FAQ
Why do I need to paste a chain instead of entering a URL?
A browser's `fetch()` follows redirects silently and only exposes the final URL, not each hop — tracing a full chain step-by-step needs a server-side HTTP client like `curl -IL <url>`. Paste that output here to visualize and explain it.
Why does a long redirect chain matter for SEO?
Each hop adds latency for visitors, and some search engine crawlers stop following redirects after a limited number of hops — a page buried at the end of a long chain may never get crawled or indexed properly.
What is the difference between 301 and 302?
301 (Moved Permanently) tells search engines to transfer ranking signals to the new URL and update their index. 302 (Found) signals a temporary move — the original URL typically stays indexed, which is usually not what you want for a permanent site change.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No — parsing and explaining the chain happens entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, and no live request to any URL is made.
How we compare
| Feature | Online Tool Store | Raw curl output | Third-party redirect checker sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain-language explanation per hop | ✓ | Raw headers only | ✓ |
| Works on staging/internal URLs | ✓ | ✓ | Requires a publicly reachable URL |
For explaining a redirect chain to a teammate or client without them needing to read raw HTTP headers, this turns a curl trace into something readable.