What is an HTTP Header Checker?
An HTTP header checker is a diagnostic tool that analyzes the HTTP response headers sent by a web server when you request a page. It reveals status codes, security settings, cache configuration, redirects, and other technical details that affect SEO, performance, and security.
Check status codes (200, 301, 302, 404, 500), validate security headers like Content-Security-Policy and HSTS, inspect cache headers for performance optimization, and trace redirect chains that might slow down your site or hurt SEO.
Perfect for developers debugging issues, SEO professionals checking redirects, and security teams validating header configurations. Get instant insights into how your server responds to requests.
Why Check HTTP Headers?
HTTP headers control how browsers, search engines, and users interact with your website. Missing or misconfigured headers cause security vulnerabilities, SEO problems, and performance issues.
Security headers like X-Frame-Options and Content-Security-Policy protect against clickjacking, XSS attacks, and code injection. Cache headers like Cache-Control and ETag determine how browsers store your content. Redirect headers (301, 302) tell search engines whether URL changes are permanent or temporary.
Our HTTP header checker analyzes all response headers in real-time, highlights missing security protections, traces redirect chains, and measures response time. Use it to debug 404 errors, optimize caching, fix redirect loops, and validate SSL/TLS configuration.
Key Features
Status Code Analysis
Instantly see if your page returns 200 (success), 301/302 (redirect), 404 (not found), or 500 (server error). Color-coded indicators show status at a glance.
Security Header Validation
Check for critical security headers including Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, Strict-Transport-Security, X-Content-Type-Options, and Referrer-Policy. See which protections are missing.
Redirect Chain Tracking
Follow redirect chains from start to finish. See every hop, status code, and final destination. Identify redirect loops and excessive redirect chains that hurt performance.
Cache Header Inspection
Analyze Cache-Control, ETag, Expires, and other caching headers. Optimize browser caching to improve page load speed and reduce server load.
Response Time Measurement
Measure how long the server takes to respond. Slow response times indicate server performance issues or network problems.
CORS Header Checking
Review Access-Control headers to debug CORS issues. See if your API allows cross-origin requests and from which domains.
How It Works
- Enter the full URL you want to check, including http:// or https://. The tool accepts any publicly accessible web page.
- Click "Check Headers" to send a request and analyze the HTTP response. The tool follows redirects automatically.
- Review the status code to ensure your page is accessible. Green means success (200), yellow indicates redirects (301/302), red shows errors (404, 500).
- Check the security headers section to see which protections are enabled and which are missing.
- If your URL redirects, examine the redirect chain to verify it's efficient and ends at the correct destination.
- Review all response headers for caching, content type, server information, and other technical details.
Common HTTP Status Codes
OK
Success. The page loaded correctly with no errors. This is what you want to see for all your important pages.
Moved Permanently
Permanent redirect. The page has moved to a new URL forever. Search engines update their index to the new location. Use this for permanent URL changes.
Found (Temporary Redirect)
Temporary redirect. The page has moved temporarily. Search engines keep the original URL in their index. Use this for short-term redirects.
Not Found
Page doesn't exist. The requested URL wasn't found on the server. Fix broken links, restore deleted content, or set up redirects to avoid 404 errors.
Internal Server Error
Server error. Something went wrong on the server side. Check server logs, fix code errors, or contact your hosting provider.
Service Unavailable
Server temporarily unavailable. Usually due to maintenance or overload. The server should return to normal service soon.
Important Security Headers
Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS)
Forces browsers to use HTTPS instead of HTTP. Prevents man-in-the-middle attacks and protects sensitive data. Essential for any site handling user data.
Content-Security-Policy (CSP)
Controls which resources can load on your page. Prevents XSS attacks, code injection, and unauthorized script execution. Defines trusted sources for scripts, styles, images, and more.
X-Frame-Options
Prevents your site from being embedded in iframes on other domains. Protects against clickjacking attacks where attackers trick users into clicking hidden elements.
X-Content-Type-Options
Prevents browsers from MIME-sniffing responses. Ensures browsers respect the declared content type and don't try to guess, which could enable attacks.
Referrer-Policy
Controls how much referrer information is sent with requests. Protects user privacy by limiting data shared when users navigate to other sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an HTTP header checker?+
An HTTP header checker is a tool that analyzes the HTTP response headers sent by a web server. It shows status codes, security headers, cache settings, and other metadata that affects how browsers and search engines interact with your website.
Why should I check HTTP headers?+
Checking HTTP headers helps you identify security vulnerabilities, optimize caching, fix redirect issues, troubleshoot CORS problems, and ensure proper SSL/TLS configuration. Proper headers improve both SEO and website security.
What are security headers?+
Security headers are HTTP response headers that help protect your website from attacks. Important ones include Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, Strict-Transport-Security (HSTS), X-Content-Type-Options, and Referrer-Policy.
What does a 301 vs 302 redirect mean?+
A 301 redirect is permanent and tells search engines to update their index to the new URL. A 302 redirect is temporary and search engines keep the original URL in their index. Use 301 for permanent moves and 302 for temporary ones.
How do I fix missing security headers?+
Add security headers in your web server configuration (Apache, Nginx) or application code. Common headers to add include X-Frame-Options: DENY or SAMEORIGIN, Content-Security-Policy with your policy, Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000, and X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff.
Ready to analyze your website's HTTP headers? Use the HTTP header checker above to validate status codes, check security headers, trace redirects, and optimize your server configuration for better SEO and security.