Destination URL Variables: {host}, {path} and More

A normal redirect always sends visitors to the same fixed URL. Variables make the destination dynamic: the destination is built from the hostname, path and query string of each request. This is useful when you move a domain and want to keep its paths, redirect many subdomains with one wildcard rule, or consolidate several old domains into one website.

Available variables#

A few details to keep in mind:

• Exact spelling: variables are lowercase and wrapped in curly braces. Anything RedirHub does not recognise, such as {HOST}, is left in the URL as-is.
• Multi-part domain endings: {host.domain} correctly handles endings like .co.uk or .com.au. For a.b.example.com, {host.domain} is example.com and {host.sub} is a.b.
• Bare domains: on a request to the root domain (example.com), {host.sub} is @.
• Trailing slashes: {path} and {uri} drop trailing slashes, so /blog/ becomes /blog. On the homepage, {path} is / and {uri} is empty.
• Query string connector: {qs} adds ? when the destination has no query string yet, and & when it already does. If the request has no query string, it adds nothing.

Forwarding switches or variables?#

Variables and switches can be combined. For example, a destination with {host.sub} plus Path forwarding keeps both the subdomain and the path (see the examples below).

How to add a variable to a redirect#

1. Open your redirect in the RedirHub dashboard, or create a new one.
2. In the destination URL, type the variable where the value should go, for example https://www.example.com/team/{host.sub}.
3. If you placed {path}, {uri} or {qs} in the destination yourself, turn off Path forwarding or Query forwarding for that redirect (see below).
4. Save, then test a few real URLs, including the homepage. If something looks wrong, see Troubleshooting new redirects.

Examples#

Keep the path when the destination has its own query string#

textDestination: https://www.new-domain.com{path}?lang=en

old-domain.com/blog/hello  →  https://www.new-domain.com/blog/hello?lang=en
old-domain.com/            →  https://www.new-domain.com/?lang=en

Path forwarding always adds the path to the very end of the destination, which here would give https://www.new-domain.com/?lang=en/blog/hello. With {path} you decide where the path goes. If your destination has no query string, simply turn on Path forwarding instead.

Send each subdomain to its own page#

textSource:      *.example.com
Destination: https://www.example.com/team/{host.sub}

alice.example.com  →  https://www.example.com/team/alice
bob.example.com    →  https://www.example.com/team/bob

One wildcard source covers every subdomain, and the variable decides where each one goes. Read more about wildcard subdomains, including plan availability and SSL.

Keep the subdomain, change the domain#

textSource:      *.old-brand.com
Destination: https://{host.sub}.new-brand.com   + Path forwarding on

shop.old-brand.com/cart  →  https://shop.new-brand.com/cart
docs.old-brand.com/api   →  https://docs.new-brand.com/api

Consolidate many domains and see where visitors came from#

textDestination: https://www.new-brand.com/?from={host.domain}

old-brand.co.uk/        →  https://www.new-brand.com/?from=old-brand.co.uk
shop.old-brand.de/sale  →  https://www.new-brand.com/?from=old-brand.de

Every old domain can use the same destination, and your analytics can still tell which domain each visitor typed.

Keep the query string#

textDestination: https://www.new-domain.com/landing?src=old   + Query forwarding on

old-domain.com/?utm_source=mail  →  https://www.new-domain.com/landing?src=old&utm_source=mail
old-domain.com/                  →  https://www.new-domain.com/landing?src=old

You don't need a variable for this. The Query forwarding switch adds the visitor's query string and picks ? or & for you, so campaign tracking stays intact. See also how to preserve UTM parameters through redirects.

Add a random value#

textDestination: https://www.example.com/offer?ref={random_string}

example.com/promo  →  https://www.example.com/offer?ref=4k9zq1  (different on every request)

Variables and the forwarding switches#

The Path forwarding and Query forwarding switches use the same variables behind the scenes. Path forwarding adds /{uri} to the end of your destination, and Query forwarding adds {qs}. If you already placed {path}, {uri} or {qs} in the destination yourself, keep the matching switch turned off. Otherwise the value is added twice:

textDestination: https://www.new-domain.com{path}   + Path forwarding on

old-domain.com/about  →  https://www.new-domain.com/about/about

Variables only change where a visitor is sent. Which redirect handles a request is decided by RedirHub's matching rules.

Troubleshooting#

• The variable appears literally in the URL: check the spelling, lowercase letters and curly braces.
• A double slash appears (new-domain.com//about): {path} already starts with a slash. Write https://new-domain.com{path} or https://new-domain.com/{uri}.
• The path or query string is repeated: turn off Path forwarding or Query forwarding for that redirect.
• An @ appears in the hostname: the request was for the bare domain. Add a separate redirect for the root domain.