How to Redirect URLs to a Subdomain with Hash Using .htaccess

Learn how to implement `.htaccess` redirects from a main domain to a subdomain, including handling hash fragments effectively.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: .htaccess redirect to subdomain url with hash

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
How to Redirect URLs to a Subdomain with Hash Using .htaccess

Redirecting URLs from your main domain to a subdomain can be a vital task for web administrators and developers. If you have specific folders that you want to redirect, like 2021/about and 2021/visit, you might encounter various challenges—especially when dealing with hash fragments. In this post, we will explore a clear and effective method to achieve this with .htaccess using mod_rewrite.

The Problem at Hand

You want to redirect URLs structured like this:

And similarly:

However, some initial attempts using rewrites may lead to undesired outcomes like incorrect URL structures. This can be frustrating, but there's a structured solution that can resolve your issue without ambiguity.

The Solution

To implement the required redirects effectively, you can use the following .htaccess redirect rule:

Redirect Rule

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breakdown of the Rule

RewriteEngine On: This directive enables the runtime rewriting engine, allowing you to make use of the below rules.

RewriteRule: This line captures:

^(20\d{2}): A year format starting with '20' followed by two digits. It matches 2021, 2022, etc.

(.+ ?)/?$: This part matches any content following the year in a non-greedy manner until the end of the string, representing folders like about or visit.

Substitution URL: The URL specifies how to structure the redirected URL.

Flags:

[R=301,L,NE]: This signifies a permanent redirect (301), stops processing further rules once a match is made (L), and ensures that special characters are not escaped in the redirect URL (NE).

Testing Your Redirects

Placement in .htaccess: Make sure your redirect rule is placed at the topmost section of your .htaccess file to ensure it processes as expected before any other possible rules.

Clear Your Browser Cache: After updating .htaccess, you may still see old redirects due to cached data. Clear your browser cache to test the changes effectively.

Conclusion

Redirecting your site URLs from a main domain to specific subdomains while including hash fragments can be straightforward if executed correctly with .htaccess. By implementing the provided rules, you can seamlessly handle redirections with the desired structure. This approach not only enhances user experience by landing them on the correct pages but also maintains your site's SEO standards.

If you encounter any issues or have further questions, feel free to leave a comment, and happy redirecting!