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Overview

Routing rules let you control how URLs are handled on your domain. You can create redirects to send visitors to new URLs, or proxies to transparently route requests to external services.
Starter plans include up to 5 routing rules. All other plans include unlimited routing rules.

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Accessing Routing Rules

  1. Go to your Dashboard
  2. Select your domain
  3. Click the Routing Rules tab

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Rule Types

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Redirects

Redirects send visitors and bots to a different URL. The browser’s address bar changes to show the new URL. Use redirects when:
  • Moving content to a new URL
  • Consolidating duplicate pages
  • Fixing broken links
  • Migrating from an old domain
Redirect Status Codes:
CodeNameUse Case
301Permanent RedirectContent has permanently moved. Passes SEO value to new URL.
302Found (Temporary)Temporary redirect. Original URL keeps SEO value.
Use 301 for most permanent URL changes. It tells search engines to transfer link equity to the new URL.

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Proxies

Proxies route requests to an external service without changing the browser’s URL. Visitors see your domain, but content comes from elsewhere. Use proxies when:
  • Serving your sitemap from a backend function (e.g., Supabase Edge Functions)
  • Routing public API endpoints to another service
  • Using a headless CMS for public content
  • Serving public assets from an external origin
Example: Proxy /sitemap.xml to a Supabase Edge Function while keeping your domain.
Proxies are designed for public endpoints only. Authorization headers and cookies are not forwarded to proxy targets for security reasons. Authenticated API calls through proxy rules will fail.

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Creating Rules

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Add a Single Rule

  1. Click Add Rule
  2. Select rule type (Redirect or Proxy)
  3. Enter the source path (e.g., /old-page)
  4. Enter the destination (new URL or proxy target)
  5. For redirects, select the status code
  6. Click Save

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Source Path Patterns

PatternMatchesExample
/pageExact path/page only
/blog/*Wildcard/blog/post-1, /blog/2024/jan
/docs/:slugParameter/docs/intro, /docs/api

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Examples

Redirect old URL to new URL: 
Source: /old-pricing
Destination: /pricing
Type: 301 Redirect
Redirect with wildcard: 
Source: /blog/2023/*
Destination: /archive/2023/
Type: 301 Redirect
Proxy to external API: 
Source: /api/cms/*
Destination: https://your-cms.com/api/
Type: Proxy

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Bulk Import (CSV)

Import multiple rules at once using a CSV file.

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CSV Format

source,destination,type,status_code,notes
/old-page,/new-page,redirect,301,Renamed page
/legacy/*,/current/,redirect,301,Legacy URL cleanup
/api/external/*,https://api.example.com/,proxy,,External API
ColumnRequiredDescription
sourceYesSource path pattern
destinationYesTarget URL or path
typeYesredirect or proxy
status_codeFor redirects301 or 302
notesNoOptional description

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Import Steps

  1. Click Import CSV
  2. Download the template (optional)
  3. Upload your CSV file
  4. Review imported rules
  5. Click Save All

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Export Rules

Export your existing rules to CSV:
  1. Click Export CSV
  2. Download opens automatically
  3. Edit in spreadsheet software
  4. Re-import to update

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Rule Priority

Rules are processed in order from top to bottom. The first matching rule is applied. To reorder rules:
  1. Drag and drop rules in the list
  2. More specific rules should come before wildcards
  3. Click Save Order after reordering
Example ordering: 
1. /blog/featured     → /featured-posts    (specific)
2. /blog/*            → /articles/         (wildcard)
If the wildcard came first, /blog/featured would never match.

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Validation

Hado SEO validates rules to prevent common mistakes:

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Redirect Validation

  • Destination URL must be valid
  • Can’t redirect to the same URL (infinite loop)
  • Source pattern must be valid

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Proxy Validation

  • Destination must be a full URL (https://…)
  • Can’t proxy to your own domain (circular proxy)
  • Source pattern must be valid

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Limitations

PlanRouting Rules
StarterUp to 5
ProUnlimited
GrowthUnlimited
AgencyUnlimited

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Best Practices

When content permanently moves, use 301 redirects. This:
  • Transfers SEO link equity to the new URL
  • Tells search engines to update their index
  • Provides the best user experience
Avoid redirect chains (A → B → C → D). Each hop:
  • Adds latency
  • May lose SEO value
  • Can confuse search engines
Bad: /page1 → /page2 → /page3 → /finalGood: /page1 → /final
Wildcards are powerful but can over-match:Too broad: /* matches everythingBetter: /old-section/* matches only that sectionTest wildcards before deploying.
Use the notes field to explain why each rule exists:
  • When it was added
  • Why it’s needed
  • Related ticket/issue numbers
Future you will thank you.

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Troubleshooting

Check:
  • Is the source path correct? (case-sensitive)
  • Is there a more specific rule matching first?
  • Did you save the rule?
  • Is DNS configured for your domain?
Check:
  • Is the destination URL accessible?
  • Is the destination URL using HTTPS?
  • Does the destination allow requests from your domain?
  • Is there a circular proxy (proxying back to yourself)?
Rules are processed top-to-bottom. Reorder them:
  1. More specific paths first
  2. Wildcards last
  3. Click Save Order after reordering

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Use Cases

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Domain Migration

Moving from old-domain.com to new-domain.com: 
source,destination,type,status_code
/,https://new-domain.com/,redirect,301
/*,https://new-domain.com/,redirect,301

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Vanity URLs

Create short, memorable URLs: 
source,destination,type,status_code
/go,/getting-started,redirect,302
/pricing,/plans-and-pricing,redirect,301
/demo,https://calendly.com/your-demo,redirect,302

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API Proxying

Route API calls to a backend service: 
source,destination,type,status_code
/api/v1/*,https://api.your-backend.com/v1/,proxy,
/graphql,https://your-graphql.com/graphql,proxy,

Dashboard Overview

Return to dashboard

Domain Settings

Configure other domain settings