Rewrite flags (last, break, redirect, permanent) in Nginx - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What does the last flag do in an nginx rewrite rule?

The last flag stops processing the current set of rewrite directives and restarts the location search with the new URI. It is like telling nginx to start fresh with the rewritten URL.

beginner

Explain the purpose of the break flag in nginx rewrite rules.

The break flag stops processing further rewrite directives in the current location block but does not restart the location search. It keeps nginx in the current location with the rewritten URI.

intermediate

What is the difference between redirect and permanent flags in nginx rewrites?

Both redirect and permanent send an HTTP redirect to the client. redirect sends a temporary 302 redirect, while permanent sends a permanent 301 redirect.

intermediate

When should you use the permanent flag in nginx rewrite rules?

Use permanent when you want to tell browsers and search engines that the resource has moved permanently to a new URL. This helps with SEO and caching.

beginner

What happens if you omit flags in an nginx rewrite directive?

If you omit flags, nginx uses the default behavior which is similar to last. It restarts the location search with the rewritten URI.

Which nginx rewrite flag restarts the location search with the new URI?

A permanent

B break

C redirect

D last

The last flag tells nginx to stop processing current rewrites and restart location search with the rewritten URI.

What HTTP status code does the permanent flag send?

A 302

B 301

C 404

D 500

The permanent flag sends a 301 status code indicating a permanent redirect.

Which flag stops rewrite processing but does NOT restart location search?

A break

B last

C redirect

D permanent

The break flag stops further rewrite processing in the current location without restarting location search.

What is the default behavior if no flag is specified in a rewrite directive?

A last

B redirect

C break

D permanent

If no flag is given, nginx behaves like last, restarting location search with the rewritten URI.

Which flag sends a temporary redirect to the client?

A last

B break

C redirect

D permanent

The redirect flag sends a 302 temporary redirect to the client.

Describe the behavior and use cases of each nginx rewrite flag: last, break, redirect, and permanent.

Think about how nginx handles the rewritten URL and what response it sends to the client.

Explain why you might choose the 'break' flag over 'last' in an nginx rewrite rule.

Consider how nginx processes location blocks after rewriting.