Location

General Summary

Indicates the destination URL when redirecting a browser or creating a new resource.

Detailed Description

The Location response HTTP header provides the URL to which an entity or a browser should be redirected. It is the core mechanism driving HTTP redirects on the web.

Use Cases (When, Why, and How)

When to Use It

It is universally used in two scenarios: First, when returning a 3xx status code (like 301 Moved Permanently or 302 Found) to redirect the user to a new web page. Second, when responding with a 201 Created to indicate the URL of a newly minted REST API resource.

Why to Use It

Without the Location header, returning a 302 status code does nothing; the browser needs to know precisely where to go. On 201 Created responses, it saves the client from having to guess the ID or URL of the newly created object.

How to Use It

Simply provide the absolute or relative URL. Location: /dashboard Location: https://new-domain.com/login

Example

Location: https://example.com/login