The 410 Gone is an HTTP status code that is returned by a web server, whenever a client say browser or web crawler, requests a resource that is removed and no longer available at the requested address.Â
Unlike the 404 Not Found which indicated a temporary issue or mistyped error. The 410 Gone error signals that the resource was once available but has been intentionally deleted and will not be accessible again.
Key Points for 410 Gone Error:
- Permanent Deletion: The 410 error indicates that the pages have been permanently removed which was earlier available.Â
- Search Engine Impact: Whenever search engines, like Google, encounter a 410 error, they remove that page from their index. Unlike the 404 error, where Google keeps the page indexed for up to 24 hours before removing it.
What Should You Use a 404 or 410 for Deleted Pages?
Google’s Matt Cutts suggests these guidelines:
- Use a 404: When a page is temporarily unavailable or the deletion is not permanent, you can use a 404 response code.
- Use a 410: When a page is permanently deleted and there is no alternative, use a 410 to indicate its permanent removal.
