Using an instant client-side redirect

ID: G110

Technology: general

Type: Technique

When to Use

Applies to all technologies.

Description

The objective of this technique is to enable redirects on the client side without confusing the user. Redirects are preferably implemented on the server side (see Implementing automatic redirects on the server side instead of on the client side), because a server-side redirect does not cause new content to be displayed before the server sends the content located at the new URI. However, authors do not always have control over server-side technologies; in that case, they can use a client-side redirect. A client-side redirect is implemented by code inside the content that instructs the user agent to retrieve content from a different URI. It is important that the redirecting page or Web page only contains information related to the redirect.

Examples

HTML: meta Refresh With a URI and No Timeout

In HTML, it is possible to implement a client-side redirect using the meta element: see Using meta refresh to create an instant client-side redirect.

Tests

Procedure

  1. Find each link or programmatic reference to another page or Web page.
  2. For each link or programmatic reference, check if the referenced Web page contains code (e.g., meta element or script) that causes a client-side redirect.
  3. For each link or programmatic reference that causes a client-side redirect, check if the redirect is implemented without a time limit or delay and that the page only contains information related to the redirect.

Expected Results

Step 2 is false or step 3 is true.

Resources