Overview of Redirects in ScreenSteps

Redirects in ScreenSteps are used to ensure that links continue to work when articles, chapters, or manuals are moved to a different site or removed/deleted. Understanding when a redirect is necessary helps maintain the integrity of your knowledge base and prevents broken links for users.

• Redirects help users find content even if its location changes to a different site.
• ScreenSteps uses article IDs to manage links internally.

Key Terms

Familiarity with the following terms is important for understanding how redirects work in ScreenSteps:

• Redirect: A mechanism that automatically sends users from an old URL to a new one.
• Article ID: A unique identifier assigned to each article, which remains constant even if the article is moved or renamed within the same site.
• Knowledge Base Link: An internal linking option in ScreenSteps that references articles by their ID rather than their URL.
• External Link: A hyperlink that points to a specific URL, which may break if the target article is moved or deleted.
• Article IDs are stable within the same site.
• Internal links using knowledge base options are more robust than external links.

When Redirects Are Not Needed

In ScreenSteps, moving articles between chapters or manuals within the same site does not require a redirect. This is because ScreenSteps links articles using their unique article IDs, which do not change when the article is moved or renamed within the same site.

• Moving articles within the same site keeps links intact.
• Renaming articles does not affect their article ID or require a redirect.

When Redirects Are Needed

Redirects become necessary in certain situations where the article ID changes or the content is no longer available at its original location. These situations include:

• Unpublishing or deleting an article, chapter, or manual.
• Moving an article to a different site, which results in a new URL.
• Using external links that reference a specific URL, which may break if the article is moved to a different site or deleted.
• Redirects are essential when content is removed or moved across sites.
• External links are more likely to break than internal knowledge base links.

Why It Matters

Understanding how ScreenSteps manages article links and when redirects are required helps prevent broken links and ensures a seamless user experience. Using internal linking options whenever possible reduces the need for manual redirects and keeps your knowledge base reliable.

• Proper link management maintains knowledge base usability.
• Choosing the right linking method minimizes maintenance.