410 Gone HTTP Status Code

Description

The HTTP status code 410 indicates that the target resource is no longer available at the server and no forwarding address is known. This condition is expected to be considered permanent. Clients with link editing capabilities should delete references to the resource upon receiving a 410 status code. The presence of a 410 status code is primarily intended to assist the task of web maintenance by notifying the recipient that the resource is intentionally unavailable and that the server owners desire that remote links to that resource be removed. Unlike a 404 status code, which indicates that the server cannot find a specified resource, the 410 status code explicitly signals that the resource has been permanently removed.

Status

HTTP

410 Gone

Common Causes

Here are the primary causes for an HTTP 410 status code:

Resource Permanently Removed: The most common reason for a 410 response is when a resource has been deliberately removed from the server. It signifies that the resource has been permanently removed and will not be available again. This is a more specific case than a 404 (Not Found), as it indicates a permanent state rather than simply the absence of a resource.
Manual Configuration: Webmasters or server administrators can configure their server or website to return a 410 status code for specific URLs that they want to signal as permanently removed. This can be part of site maintenance or cleanup.
SEO Optimization: To manage search engine indexing and avoid indexing of dead or obsolete URLs, webmasters might use the 410 status to tell search engines that a page should be removed from their index.
Legal or Policy Reasons: In some cases, content may need to be removed from a website for legal reasons or because of policy violations. Using a 410 status code in such situations clearly communicates that the content won’t return.
Redirection Mishandling: While not a cause per se, sometimes a 410 status can be mistakenly given instead of a more appropriate status code due to misconfiguration or misunderstanding of HTTP status codes. This might happen if a webmaster intends to temporarily hide a resource but incorrectly marks it as permanently gone.
API Versioning: For APIs, a 410 status might be used to indicate that a particular version of the API is no longer supported and has been permanently removed.
Temporal Resources: In cases where resources are meant to be temporary (such as event pages or limited-time offers), a 410 status can be used once the event is over or the offer has expired to indicate that the resource will not be made available again.

The 410 status code is particularly useful for maintaining a clean and efficient web, helping in the proper management of resources and informing both users and search engines about the permanent unavailability of content.