How to handle 301 redirects in Laravel?

@annabell_mcdermott 

Handling 301 redirects in Laravel is a common requirement for ensuring seamless transitions from old URLs to new ones without affecting your site's SEO. Here's how you can set up 301 redirects in Laravel:

Method 1: Using Routes in web.php

If you have a few specific redirects, you can handle them directly in the routes/web.php file:

1
2
3
4
5

use IlluminateSupportFacadesRoute;

Route::get('/old-url', function () {
    return redirect('/new-url', 301);
});

Method 2: Using the Redirect Facade

Another clean way to manage redirects is by using the Redirect facade:

1
2
3
4
5
6

use IlluminateSupportFacadesRedirect;
use IlluminateSupportFacadesRoute;

Route::get('/old-url', function () {
    return Redirect::to('/new-url', 301);
});

Method 3: Middleware for Bulk Redirects

If you have multiple URLs to manage, you might want to use middleware to handle redirects. Follow these steps:

1. Create the Middleware: Generate middleware using the Artisan command: php artisan make:middleware RedirectMiddleware
2. Define the Redirect Logic: In the newly created middleware file located at app/Http/Middleware/RedirectMiddleware.php, add your redirect logic: '/new-url', // more redirects here ]; $currentPath = $request->path(); if (array_key_exists($currentPath, $redirects)) { return redirect($redirects[$currentPath], 301); } return $next($request); } }
3. Register the Middleware: Register this middleware in app/Http/Kernel.php under the $middleware group or $routeMiddleware group: protected $middleware = [ // Other middleware, AppHttpMiddlewareRedirectMiddleware::class, ];

Method 4: Using a Redirect Service Provider

For larger applications with many redirects, a service provider might help you organize the logic more neatly:

1. Create RedirectServiceProvider: Run the following command to create a new service provider: php artisan make:provider RedirectServiceProvider
2. Define Redirect Logic: In the newly created service provider, add your redirect logic: '/new-url', // more redirects here ]; foreach ($redirects as $from => $to) { Route::get($from, function () use ($to) { return Redirect::to($to, 301); }); } } public function register() { // } }
3. Register the Service Provider: Add your service provider to the config/app.php file: 'providers' => [ // Other Service Providers AppProvidersRedirectServiceProvider::class, ],

Choose the method that best suits your application's needs based on the number of redirects and how you prefer to organize your code. For a small number of redirects, directly coding them in your routes might be simplest, but for larger numbers, middleware or a service provider may be more organized and maintainable.