URL rewriting tools are a set of software and/or hardware devices, which can manipulate URL and URL parameters and reverse them back to the original URL. URL rewriting is generally done with web servers that have been configured to issue redirects in the form of HTTP header response or HTML meta tags. URL rewriting can also be performed at the client end.
URL rewriting can be used to give better URL access in a database-driven website. URL changing in a database-driven website is done when you want to show different content in the URL based on what is being displayed. URL rewriting can also make sure that search engines read your web pages correctly, and it provides a way to use more descriptive URL/URLs than what is provided by default with URL/URLs.
When URL rewriting tools are used, all HTTP requests that arrive at the back-end web server are analyzed to determine their URL. If the URL contains query string parameters, these are decoded and placed in a temporary file on disk. URL rewriting tools reverse URL and rewrite URL into new URL, which is then passed to the webserver. The web server issues a redirect using an HTTP header response or it can also use HTML meta tags.
URL Rewriting tools can help manipulate URL and URL parameters in a number of ways:
- URL matching: Search for a specific URL and replace it with an alternative URL. Also helps to add or remove URL Parameters.
- URL reordering: Display your products in a particular sequence using this URL reordering tool. URL parameters can also be reordered with this tool.
- URL content-encoding: Encode URL and URL parameters to protect against hackers and anti-bots trying to remove the URL Parameters from your site, so it is displayed in its original form.
- URL decoding: Help decode URL and URL Parameters by removing any URL encoding that has been placed on it
- URL masking: Redirect visitors to an alternative URL with URL masking. URL parameters are also passed through this tool, so be careful with sensitive information.
"For URL, URL rewriting has become the most important and key factor. If you want your website to show up in Google's search engine results pages then it is required that you use descriptive URL/URLs."
- URL rewrites can give better URL access in a database-driven website.
- URL changing in a database-driven website is done when you want to show different content in the URL based on what is being displayed.
- URL rewriting can also make sure that search engines read your web pages correctly, and it provides a way to use more descriptive URL/URLs than what is provided by default with URL/URLs.
A static website is a website where no dynamic content such as database queries or URL rewrites happens. URL parameters and URL/URLs, which contain parameters, are passed to the client's browser in the URL string. However, static websites come with their own advantages and disadvantages:
- Static web pages tend to be fast because they do not need to contact any URL/URLs with URL parameters.
- Static web pages are more secure than dynamic URL/URLs, which contain URL Parameters.
- Static websites cannot use URL rewrites or URL variables that provide targeted advertising based on location, demographic information or URL/ URL parameters.
- Static web pages cannot use URL rewrites or URL variables that enable a user to customize their experience on a site.
- It is more difficult to update content on a static website because the entire URL has to be updated each time any changes are made. If you update the URL once, all URL Parameters will be lost. URL Parameters do not get updated when the URL is changed.
URL rewriting tools can help by:
- Monitoring all URL parameters on a URL/ URL and triggering alerts for unauthorized changes to URL Parameters
- Listing all URL parameters in URL/ URLs and generating reports of these URL parameters
- URL Parameters can be passed to URL/ URL rewriting tools for URL decoding, URL encoding, and URL masking
- URL Parameters can also be used as input for URL reordering so you can display your products in a particular sequence.
URL cloaking is URL reordering that shows different URL/ URL content to visitors coming from different countries. URL rewriting tools can help you do this by URL masking, URL encoding, or URL decoding.
Dynamic web pages are created when data is stored in a database and the URL parameters are used as input for URL rewrite and URL reordering. URL parameters in URL rewriting can be useful in:
- URL/ URL Parameters in URL rewriting can be used to provide targeted advertising based on location, demographic information, or URL/ URL parameters.
- Dynamic URLs are good for search engine optimization because they contain different content from the same URL/ URL depending on Search Engine URL parameters. URL Parameters can be passed to URL rewriting tools for URL decoding, URL encoding, and URL masking so you can get better search engine results.
The URL reordering process allows you to change the order in which URLs will show up on your website depending on URL/ URL parameters. URL reordering can involve URL masking, URL encoding, or URL decoding depending on URL Parameters used for URL reordering.
URL Masking lets you hide parts of a URL string to protect sensitive data that should not be seen by the public. URL masking is particularly useful if you are using an eCommerce platform with URLs that provide URL Parameters. URL masking can be done with URL rewriting tools that URL encode, URL decode, and URL reorder URLs.
URL decoding is the process of converting a URL from URL encoding to readable text for human readers. URL encoding is a practice where certain characters in any URL are converted into a new character string so they cannot be interpreted.
A dynamic website is created when data is stored in a database and URL parameters are used as input for URL reordering. URL Parameters in URL rewriting can be useful in:
- URL Parameters in URL rewriting can be used to provide targeted advertising based on location, demographic information, or URL/ URL parameters.
- Dynamic URLs are good for search engine optimization because they contain different content from URL/ URL depending on Search Engine URL parameters. URL Parameters can be passed to URL rewriting tools for URL decoding, URL encoding, and URL masking so you can get better search engine results.
- Dynamic URLs are good for users because they enable the user to bookmark a specific part of the page and URL parameters can be used for URL reordering to present the URL in a sequence that makes sense. URL Parameters are passed to URL rewriting tools for URL masking, URL encoding, or URL decoding depending on URL Parameters used.
