Title: URL Rewriting Author: Kriko Published: Apr 22, 2021 Last modified: Jul 11, 2026 --- 1. [Home](https://kriko.io/) / 2. [Glossary](https://kriko.io/glossary) / 3. U Letter # URL Rewriting **URL rewriting** is a technique used to make web addresses more understandable for users, search engines or application architecture. Every web address entered into a browser is a URL, and it usually consists of a protocol, domain name and page path. For example, in `https://kriko.io/glossary`, `https` is the protocol,` kriko.io` is the domain name and `/glossary` is the page path. URL rewriting helps define which page, file or application route a visible address should correspond to on the server side. URL rewriting is often used to make complex and technical URL structures more readable. For example, an address such as `https://forexample.com/page?id=59&category=seo` can be shown to users as `https://forexample.com/seo/url-rewrite`. This structure makes it easier for users to understand the topic of the page. It can also help search engines interpret page content and site hierarchy more clearly. URL rewriting and redirection are not the same thing. In URL rewriting, the user usually sees a cleaner address in the browser, while the server maps that address to a different resource in the background. In a redirect, the user is sent from one URL to another and the address in the browser changes. From an SEO perspective, 301 redirects are often used for permanent URL changes, while URL rewriting is used when the visible address should remain clean and consistent. Clear URL structures can provide important SEO and usability benefits. Short, descriptive URLs that match the page content support user experience and make links easier to share. However, rewriting a URL does not guarantee ranking improvements by itself. Content quality, technical SEO, site speed, internal linking, canonical usage and user experience also affect organic performance. URL rewriting can be implemented across different server and application environments. Apache servers may use `.htaccess` and mod_rewrite, Nginx can use rewrite rules and IIS has a URL Rewrite module. Similar URL structures can also be created through routing in frameworks such as Ruby on Rails, Laravel, CodeIgniter, Django, Express. js or Java-based web applications. The appropriate method depends on the technology stack and website architecture. A properly configured **URL rewriting** system makes complex links simpler and easier to understand. Users can identify the page topic more easily from the URL, while search engines can crawl the site structure in a more organised way. However, incorrect rewrite rules may cause broken links, redirect loops, duplicate content issues or indexing problems. For this reason, URL rewriting should be planned, tested and implemented in line with SEO requirements. ## Discover it in the dictionary ### Data Monetization Data monetization is a business strategy that involves converting data into measurable economic value. Customer, operational, product and market data can be analysed to… ### Time to First Byte (TTFB) Time to First Byte, commonly abbreviated as TTFB, refers to the time between a browser sending a request to a web server and receiving… ### Churn Rate Churn Rate is an important customer metric that shows the percentage of customers a business loses within a specific period. It is calculated based… ### Financial Analytics Financial analytics is an analytical discipline used to evaluate the overall economic and financial performance of an organisation or brand. It involves assessing a… ### Insight Insight is a strategic concept that plays an important role in marketing, advertising, product development and customer experience. In its simplest form, insight means… ### App Store Optimization (ASO) App Store Optimization, commonly abbreviated as ASO, refers to the optimisation activities carried out to make mobile applications more visible and increase downloads in… ### Google Index Google Index is the index system that contains web pages Google has discovered, crawled, processed and evaluated for potential display in search results. For… ### Cross-Border E-Commerce Cross-border e-commerce refers to a trade model in which a seller in one country sells products or services to customers in another country through… ### Data Gravity Data gravity refers to the effect created when large volumes of data become concentrated within a particular system, platform or location. As data grows… ## Track the digital heartbeat with Kriko Subscribe to receive curated insights, news, and ideas shaping the digital landscape. By checking this box, you acknowledge and accept our [privacy policy](https://kriko.io/privacy-policy).