Meta refresh tags reload or redirect a page, but HTTP redirects are preferred. They must be placed in the head section and use an HTTP command. They can set a delay and are used for frequently updated content or redirection. However, they can be identified as spam and raise security concerns.
Update meta tags are also referred to as meta redirects. They cause a page to reload or another page to load. The use of meta refresh tags is discouraged by some who prefer to use HTTP 301 or 302 redirects instead.
Meta refresh tags must be placed in the head section of the web page. When viewing the page in HTML format, the head section can be identified by the code. An update meta tag will look like this:
The meta keyword identifies its HTML function and the http-equiv=”refresh” attribute informs the Internet browser that the tag is using an HTTP command instead of a regular meta tag. Web servers use HTTP headers to tell a browser to reload the web page or redirect, and this is what the “refresh” command does.
There is also the option to set the number of seconds before the browser reloads. The last bit of the meta refresh code, “content=”600”, shows how much of a delay is set before the page is reloaded. The best-known function of meta refresh tags is to refresh pages that have frequently updated content or information. An example of this is a weather site, where the information changes often.
Redirection is another use of meta refresh tags, and this is their function in most cases. When meta refresh tags are used to redirect a user to another web page, the code instead reads like this: .
The part of the code that reads content=”2;url=http://google.com/” tells the browser how long to wait before redirecting and which page it should load. In this case, the redirect is set to happen in two seconds and the page will be redirected to google.com.
Using update meta tags can have some drawbacks. Sites using them may be identified as spam by search engines. A very fast redirect can leave users who have outdated browsers stuck on a page, and refreshing a page can confuse the user. The use of meta refresh tags also raises security concerns. Such concerns are why it is considered better to use an HTTP or server redirect.
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