From time to time, the question arises, “What does a 410 HTTP Status Code mean in Google’s eyes, and how does it differ from a 404 error?” The most straightforward answer is that if you type the wrong URL, you’ll see a 404 error that indicates this webpage doesn’t exist. And if the page from a website is deleted, you’ll see an error code of 410. It means you cannot access that specific page.
The target resource is no longer accessible at the origin server when an HTTP status code of 410 is returned, and this condition is likely to remain thus indefinitely. The status code in this situation should be 404, not found, if the origin server is unknown or unable to determine whether the condition is permanent. Moreover, it is mainly intended to improve and aid in web maintenance by informing the user that a resource is currently unavailable and that the server owner wishes to remove the remote links to that resource.
Fortunately, there are some ways to fix the 410 HTTP status code. Whenever this error occurs, you must examine your site logs and reconfigure the server to solve the issue. Another way is to troubleshoot the client side’s error by rolling back recent updates or uninstalling the new plugins.
In this blog, we’ll look at what the 410 HTTP status code means. What are the most common reasons for the 410 error code? How can we make it better? Main differences between 410 and 404 error codes.
What exactly is the “410 Gone” Error?
Both the 404 HTTP Status Code error and the 410 HTTP Status Code error are the same, but the 410 gone error is the simplest one. The 410 HTTP Status Code is a permanent version of the 404 Error Code. A 404 error code means that the page you want to access is not currently available on the website, but it could be found in the future when the error is fixed. However, in the case of a 410 HTTP Status Code Error, the origin resource is permanently lost, and you will never be able to access the webpage again. The related page is no longer on the server, and no other redirection can take the user to another related page.
According to your browser, the 410 error can occur in different ways.
- 410 Gone
- 401 HTTP Status Code
- Error 410
- Gone
If you’re a website owner, it’s your responsibility to monitor the status codes from time to time and fix those errors whenever they occur without any delay. The reason for fixing the error is that if new visitors looking for that specific information can’t find it on the website, they’ll most likely go to the competitors’ sites.
What are the causes of the 410 HTTP Status Code?
Since the 410 HTTP Status Code is similarly categorized as the 404 HTTP Status Code, most consider it a client-side error. However, this can occur on both the client and server sides. A 404 Not Found Error occurs when a user types the incorrect URL. A 410 error may also occur if you have recently changed your content management system. Sometimes a new update in plugins can also make changes to the database that can lead to this error. Alternatively, the 404 error can also be the result of incorrect configuration. So if you search your log files for unwanted 410 redirects, you’ll surely find the source of the issue.
For example, if you run a sale or promo code for a limited time and then it ends, if someone clicks on that promotional link after that, it will redirect them to a 410 error. This way, the user will know that the page was deleted and permanently deleted.
Difference Between a 410 HTTPS Status Code Error and 404 Error?
In some senses, 410 and 404 status codes are in the same category; they both indicate that the resource cannot be retrieved. They do, however, have some differences at some points.
404 errors are a common type of HTTPS status code. When this type of error occurs, the resource a user requested doesn’t exist. But a 404 Not Found error is a temporary error. You can try the URL again when you think it has been resolved.
On the contrary, if a 410 HTTP Status Code occurs, the requested resource is permanently deleted. When Google bots detect this error, they de-index the link because it was deleted permanently and cannot be restored.
A friendly piece of advice is that if you don’t need a particular page from your website anymore. It’s useful to redirect it to a 404 page to keep your website well-performing and user-friendly.
How to Fix the 410 HTTP Status Code Error
You can fix it in many different ways. One way is to troubleshoot both the client and server sides to ensure that your content can be viewed by visitors and indexed by the crawlers. But wait a minute! Before troubleshooting the whole website, we recommend backing up your website before making any changes. Troubleshooting involves altering site files, removing plugins, and updating their features.
Examining the client-side 410 HTTP Status Code:
You should perform client-side website troubleshooting prior to making any manual changes to the website.
1. Examine the requested resource/URL:
If you see a 410 error for the first time, you should check the link you are searching for. As discussed above, an incorrect URL can lead to an HTTP Status Code. On the other side, if you search for a deleted resource, it will respond to you with a 410 Gone Error. Because the server denies access to that URL, this error occurs.
Another method is to try retyping the address. If you are still facing the 410 error, you can also search for that specific page with a relevant keyword in the search engine.
2. Roll back all recent updates:
When you see that the “410 HTTP status code has replaced the requested webpage status code.” You can consider rolling back or downgrading your WordPress software to an older version. Because implementing or installing new plugins or updates can sometimes result in poor configuration and multiple errors, such as 410 Gone.
The safest method is to back up your website before installing any new updates or tools so that if any errors occur. You can easily restore the previous version of the website.
3. Uninstall the plugins and extensions.
If you installed any plugins or extensions that redirect the URL or disrupt the URL structure, the 410 error might occur. This error may appear on the website from time to time due to incompatibility issues. One way to solve this error is to uninstall these tools.
If you doubt that the plugins are the cause of the problem. You can deactivate them to check whether that’s the case. When 410 errors occur, it doesn’t usually lock out the WordPress dashboard. So that you can deactivate the plugin on your plugin page.
Select the plugin, then select deactivate from the bulk actions dropdown menu.
After deactivating the plugin, you can double-check whether the 410 HTTP Status has been resolved. If an error is still found on the website, notify the website’s developer.
How to Resolve the Error:
You can use Firebug or Fiddler to check the 410 Gone. But there are other tools to check the error. Hundreds and thousands of other tools and plugins are available to view the raw HTTP data and errors.
Take an example from Mozilla Firebug: in Mozilla, you can go to the Net and press F5 to refresh the webpage. Similarly, for other browsers, press F12, and it will launch the developer tools. Then navigate to the Network Tab, which will display the status codes. So you can identify whether the page is cached and so on.
Last Thoughts:
After all the discussion about the 410 HTTP status code, it can be useful for removing expired promotions and improving the website’s efficiency. Whenever it occurs, the visitor won’t be able to access your content. Search engines consider it a permanently deleted resource. The user moves to the side of your competitors, and your ranking drops in Google’s eyes.
Because it can occur on both the client and server sides of the website. You must check both sides for a solution. You must examine the site logs, debug the website. Check your server configuration to determine the 410 HTTP status code. Save your time and money.
