The HTTP status code 410 indicates that a requested resource has been permanently removed from the server and will not be available again. It is used to explicitly communicate that a page has been deleted.
Table of Contents
What does Error 410 mean?
When a server returns a 410 status code, it means:
- the requested page previously existed
- it has been intentionally removed
- it is not expected to return in the future
This makes it different from a temporary error or a missing page.
410 vs 404 (important distinction)
- 404 Not Found → the page cannot be found, but it may still exist again in the future or the server does not know its status
- 410 Gone → the page is permanently deleted and intentionally removed
In practice:
- 404 is neutral and ambiguous
- 410 is explicit and permanent
When Error 410 is used
This status code is typically used when:
- outdated pages are removed during website restructuring
- content is permanently deleted from a website
- administrators want search engines to remove a page from indexing faster
- old URLs are intentionally retired
Practical implications
For users:
- the content is no longer accessible
- there is usually no replacement page
For search engines:
- the URL is removed from indexing faster than with a 404 response
- it helps clean up outdated or removed content from search results
Summary
Error 410 indicates that a page has been permanently deleted from the server and will not return, making it a more explicit and intentional version of the 404 “not found” response.