A ____________ status code indicates a temporary redirect.
- 200
- 301
- 302
- 404
Explanation: The correct answer is 302. The 302 status code is indeed indicative of a temporary redirect. When a server responds with a status code of 302, it essentially tells the client that the requested resource has been temporarily moved to a different location. This temporary redirect is often used when a web page or resource is undergoing maintenance, updates, or is temporarily unavailable for some reason. Unlike permanent redirects (301 status code), which instruct clients to update their bookmarks or cache with the new location of the resource, temporary redirects imply that the original URL should still be used in the future. It’s a way of gracefully handling situations where a resource is temporarily inaccessible or has been moved temporarily. Search engines like Google also interpret 302 redirects differently from 301 redirects; they understand that the change is not permanent and won’t update their index accordingly. Therefore, the use of a 302 status code is appropriate when the redirection is expected to be temporary and the original URL may be reinstated or change again in the future.