302 Found

What it means

Historically ambiguous - the spec says preserve the method, every browser changes POST to GET - which is exactly why 303 and 307 were introduced to say which you meant. For new code, use one of those.

Class

3xx Redirection

Defined in

RFC 9110 §15.4.3

Cached by default

No

When you receive a 302

• Follow Location this time, but keep requesting the original URL next time - the move is temporary.
• Browsers turn a POST into a GET when they follow a 302. If a form submission lost its body on the way, this is why.

When you send a 302

• In new code, say which one you mean: 303 See Other sends the client to a GET after a POST; 307 repeats the same method elsewhere.
• Use 302 for a short-lived move where search engines should keep the original URL indexed.
• Not for a permanent move: the old URL may stay in search results. That is 301 or 308.

On the wire

HTTP/1.1 302 Found
Location: /login?next=%2Fdashboard

Often confused with

• 303 See OtherRedirect to a resource that is not the request target, using `GET`.
• 307 Temporary RedirectTemporarily elsewhere, and the method must not change.