Easy Redirects 1.1.0 - Documentation and User Guide

Installation Guide

You can install Easy Redirects via Maven by including the following dependency:

<dependency>
    <groupId>work.noice</groupId>
    <artifactId>easyredirects</artifactId>
    <version>1.1.0</version>
</dependency>

You can also download the JAR directly and include it into your Tomcat webapps folder, inside <magnolia>/WEB-INF/lib folder and restarting Tomcat.

Content Author Guide

What are URL Redirects?

URL redirects are like mail forwarding for websites. When someone tries to visit an old web address, a redirect automatically sends them to the new location. This ensures visitors and search engines can always find your content, even when pages move or URLs change.

Why Use Redirects?

- Prevent broken links when you move or rename pages

- Guide visitors from old campaign URLs to current promotions

- Maintain SEO value by telling search engines where content has moved

- Create memorable shortcuts for marketing campaigns

Getting Started

Accessing the Redirects App

1. Log into Magnolia AdminCentral
2. Look for the Redirects app in your app launcher
3. Click to open the redirect management interface

Understanding the Interface

The Redirects app shows a list of all configured redirects with:

- From URL: The old address visitors might use

- To URL: Where they should be sent instead

- Site: Which website the redirect applies to

- Status: Whether the redirect is active or inactive

Creating Your First Redirect

Step 1: Add a New Redirect

Click the "Add redirect" button in the action bar.

Step 2: Fill in the Basic Information

From URL (Source)
This is the old URL that visitors might try to access.
- Must start with a forward slash (/)
- Don't include the domain name
- Examples:
- `/old-products`
- `/2023-summer-sale`
- `/about-us.html`

To URL (Target)
This is where visitors should be sent.
- Can be a full URL with domain: `https://www.example.com/new-products`
- Or a relative path: `/products/new-arrivals`
- **Examples:**
- `/new-products`
- `https://www.example.com/current-promotions`
- `/about/company-info`

Redirect Type
Choose the appropriate redirect type:

301 - Permanent Redirect
- Use when content has permanently moved
- Search engines will update their records
- Best for: Site restructuring, permanent URL changes

302 - Temporary Redirect
- Use for temporary changes
- Search engines keep the original URL in their index
- Best for: Seasonal campaigns, maintenance, A/B testing

Site Selection
If your Magnolia instance manages multiple websites:
- Select the specific site for this redirect
- Choose "fallback" to apply to all sites
- Leave empty for the default site

Description (Optional)

Add notes about why this redirect exists:

- "Old product line - redirected to new catalog"

- "2023 Christmas campaign - expires January"

- "Department renamed from Services to Solutions"

Step 3: Save and Activate

1. Click **Save** to create the redirect

2. The redirect is automatically active once saved

3. Test it immediately by visiting the "From URL"

Common Redirect Scenarios

Scenario 1: Page Reorganization

You're moving all blog posts from `/news/` to `/blog/`:

- From URL: `/news/company-update-2024`

- To URL: `/blog/company-update-2024`

- Type: 301 Permanent

Scenario 2: Seasonal Campaign

Redirecting a marketing campaign URL:

- From URL: `/summer2024`

- To URL: `/promotions/summer-collection`

- Type: 302 Temporary

Scenario 3: Product Retirement

Old product page to category page:

- From URL: `/products/widget-pro-v1`

- To URL: `/products/widgets`

- Type: 301 Permanent

Scenario 4: Fixing Common Typos

Catching common misspellings:

- From URL: `/contcat-us`

- To URL: `/contact-us`

- Type: 301 Permanent

Advanced Features

Using Wildcards (Pattern Matching)

Wildcards let you redirect multiple URLs with one rule:

Simple Wildcard (*)
Matches any characters:
- From: `/old-products/*`
- To: `/products/*`
- Result: `/old-products/shoes` → `/products/shoes`

Multiple Wildcards

You can use numbered placeholders:

- From: `/archive/*/posts/*`

- To: `/blog/$1/$2`

- Result: `/archive/2023/posts/summer` → `/blog/2023/summer`

URL Parameters

Preserve or add URL parameters:

- From: `/search`

- To: `/products/search`

- Visitor goes to: `/search?q=shoes`

- They arrive at: `/products/search?q=shoes`

Testing Your Redirects

Before Publishing
1. Save your redirect
2. Open a new browser tab (or incognito window)
3. Type in your "From URL"
4. Verify you arrive at the correct "To URL"

Common Testing Tips

- Clear your browser cache if redirects seem stuck

- Test with the full URL including domain

- Try variations users might type

- Check both with and without trailing slashes

Best Practices

DO:

- Keep redirects simple - Direct paths are better than chains

- Document with descriptions - Future editors will thank you

- Test immediately - Verify redirects work as expected

- Clean up old redirects - Remove temporary redirects when campaigns end

- Use permanent redirects carefully - They're hard to undo

DON'T:

- Create redirect chains - Avoid A→B→C situations

- Redirect to redirects- Always point to final destinations

- **Use temporary for permanent moves** - This confuses search engines

- **Forget the forward slash** - URLs must start with /

- **Include URL parameters in From URL** - Keep source URLs clean

Troubleshooting

Redirect Not Working
1. **Check the From URL** - Must start with /
2. **Verify activation** - Ensure the redirect is published
3. **Clear browser cache** - Old redirects might be cached
4. **Check site selection** - Ensure correct site is selected

Error Messages

"From URL is not unique"
- This URL already has a redirect
- Edit the existing redirect instead
- Or choose a different From URL

"From URL must start with a slash"

- Add / at the beginning

- Correct: `/old-page`

- Incorrect: `old-page` or `www.site.com/old-page`

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

1. Check if a redirect already exists for your URL

2. Verify your URLs are formatted correctly

3. Ask your site administrator about site-specific settings

4. Contact your Magnolia support team for complex patterns

Quick Reference

Redirect Types

- 301: Permanent move (use for most redirects)

- 302: Temporary move (use for campaigns)

URL Format Examples

- ✅ `/products`

- ✅ `/products/shoes`

- ✅ `/info.html`

- ❌ `products` (missing /)

- ❌ `http://site.com/products` (don't include domain in From URL)

Wildcard Examples

- `/old/*` → `/new/*` (simple wildcard)
- `/blog/*/article/*` → `/articles/$1/$2` (multiple captures)

Remember: When in doubt, start simple. You can always create more specific redirects as needed!