HTTP redirection now available in Katapult DNS

Katapult has introduced a new feature in its DNS management system: HTTP redirection. This enhancement allows users to redirect HTTP and HTTPS requests from any hostname to a specified URL, no web server configuration required. Whether you’re redirecting multiple domains to your homepage or creating easy-to-remember subdomains, this new HTTP redirect feature saves you time and effort.

How to use HTTP redirection

To use this feature, set up an HTTPRedirect record as you would for any other DNS record. When you do this, specify the destination URL and select your preferred HTTPS status code. That's it—any HTTP or HTTPS requests to that hostname will automatically redirect to your provided URL.

How it works

When you create an HTTPRedirect record, our DNS servers point it to our redirection servers, which handle the actual redirection. For HTTPS requests, we automatically request a certificate for your domain through Let's Encrypt using DNS verification. And don't worry about maintenance, our system keeps the certificate renewed every few months.

Cost

This service is completely free to use.

A few more technical details

• You can choose from the following HTTPS status codes: 301 Moved Permanently, 302 Found, 307 Temporary Redirect or 308 Permanent Redirect

• Every request made to the domain will be responded to with the redirect (this includes POST requests as well as requests for any path).

• To forward the requested path to the destination URL, you can use the $path variable when you enter the URL (for example https://example.com/$path).

• Our redirection servers run on the same anycast network as our DNS servers, ensuring the redirection response is processed as close to the requester as possible.

• For HTTPS certificates to be issued, your domain must point to the name servers provided and be successfully verified.

Getting started

Ready to streamline your redirects? Log in to the Katapult Console and set up your first HTTPRedirect record today. It’s fast, free, and saves you the hassle of configuring a web server.

If you haven’t tried Katapult yet, sign up today and start building with £100 credit on us!