Permalink
A permalink (permanent link) is a URL that is intended to remain unchanged indefinitely, serving as a stable reference to a specific piece of content.
Permalinks matter because every URL change breaks existing backlinks, bookmarks, and search engine rankings. When a permalink changes without a 301 redirect, all accumulated link equity is lost and users encounter 404 errors.
Design permalinks to be future-proof: avoid dates in URLs unless content is inherently time-bound (news articles), use topic-based slugs instead of IDs, and do not include version numbers or technology references that may change. `/glossary/meta-description` is better than `/glossary/2024/01/meta-description-v2`.
If you must change a permalink, always set up a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new one. Indxel tracks URL changes between deployments with `check --diff` and flags any URL removals that lack corresponding redirects.
Related terms
Slug
A slug is the human-readable, URL-friendly portion of a web address that identifies a specific page, typically derived from the page title using lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens.
URL Structure
URL structure refers to the format, hierarchy, and naming conventions of your website's addresses, which communicate page content and site organization to both users and search engines.
301 Redirect
A 301 redirect is an HTTP status code that permanently redirects one URL to another, telling search engines to transfer ranking signals (link equity) to the new URL.
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