What sets apart a web redirect from an alias? Let's say there are two websites - site.it and othersite.com. If a user enters othersite.com, I want them to be directed to site.it. What would happen if we set up an alias instead? Could you please clarify?

An alias or domain mirror is a domain that leads to the same folder as the "main" domain, while redirection or forwarding sends a message to the client software to search for a requested resource elsewhere (with a new address included).

To redirect an old domain to a new website, one option is to create a separate website and add a .htaccess file with directives for redirection. Another option is to use a third-party service, such as GoDaddy's domain redirection service that costs $2 per year or parking lots that cost $1 per year.

It's important to act quickly to avoid losing credibility with search engines and visitors following old links.

Although alias and redirect may seem to offer the same user experience, from a technical standpoint they are distinct.
Aliases display content from the main page at various addresses, while redirects modify the link and lead the user to a different website.

Redirection can occur automatically when attempting to visit a popular site with an error. For example, facbook.com automatically redirects to the official Facebook page at facebook.com. Pinterest redirection works similarly:
The search engine also receives either a 301 or 302 code depending on server settings, indicating whether to index the original address (301) or remove it (302).

A web redirect is a server-side instruction that tells the web browser to automatically send the user from one URL to another. This can be achieved through HTTP status codes such as 301 (permanent redirect) or 302 (temporary redirect). When a user enters othersite.com, the server responds with the redirect instruction, causing the browser to change the URL to site.it and load the corresponding webpage.

Let's delve into more detail on web redirects and aliases and their specific implementations, as viewed from the role of a web developer.

Web Redirect:
A web redirect is a method of telling a web browser that a particular page or resource has been moved to a different location. There are various types of redirects, but the two most commonly used are 301 (permanent redirect) and 302 (temporary redirect).

- 301 Redirect: A 301 redirect is used when a webpage has permanently moved to a new location. When a user enters othersite.com, the server responds with a 301 redirect to site.it, causing the browser to automatically update the URL in the address bar to site.it. This is beneficial for search engine optimization (SEO) as it transfers the ranking power from the old URL to the new one.

- 302 Redirect: A 302 redirect is used when a webpage has temporarily moved to a new location. In this case, the URL in the browser doesn't change, and the user may not even be aware that they have been redirected to a different domain.

Alias:
An alias, in the context of domain names and web hosting, involves setting up DNS records to point multiple domain names to the same location. The most common way to achieve this is through the use of CNAME (Canonical Name) records. When othersite.com is set up as an alias for site.it, the DNS resolution for othersite.com will point to the same IP address or server as site.it.

From the user's perspective, when they enter othersite.com, the browser's address bar will continue to display othersite.com, despite the fact that they are viewing content from site.it. This can be advantageous when you want to create multiple entry points to the same website without visibly changing the URL.

Considerations:
The choice between using a web redirect and an alias depends on the specific requirements and goals of the web presence:

- If you want visitors to be seamlessly directed to a new domain or webpage and want the new URL to be displayed in the browser, a web redirect would be the appropriate choice.
- If you want to maintain multiple domain names but display the same content, an alias would be the way to go. This is beneficial for branding, marketing, and making it easier for users to access your content through different domain names.

It's important to note that using aliases can sometimes create duplicate content issues in terms of SEO, so careful consideration and implementation are necessary to ensure the best outcomes for the website's search engine visibility.

While both web redirects and aliases serve the purpose of directing users from one URL to another, the method by which they do so and their implications for user experience, SEO, and content presentation differ. Depending on the specific use case, one approach may be more suitable than the other.

A redirect (like a 301 or 302) tells browsers and search engines that othersite.com should forward visitors to site.it, changing the URL in the address bar. This is SEO-friendly and ensures users land on the intended content.
An alias, often a DNS CNAME or a server-level ServerAlias, means othersite.com points to the same server or IP as site.it but doesn't inherently redirect traffic. Visitors typing othersite.com will see that URL in their browser, but the content served is from site.it. If you want users to land on site.it with the URL updated, a redirect is mandatory.