What does the 303 See Other HTTP status code mean?

The 303 See Other status code indicates that the response to the request can be found at a different URI and should be retrieved using a GET request. It is commonly used after a POST request to redirect the client to a result page, preventing duplicate form submissions on page refresh.

When should I use 303 See Other instead of 302 or 307?

Use 303 when you want to force the client to use GET after a POST request, typically to display a confirmation or result page. Use 302 for general temporary redirects where method change is acceptable. Use 307 when you need to preserve the original method and body.

303 Redirection 📋

303 See Other: The POST‑Redirect‑GET Pattern

Last updated: June 28, 2026 • 5 min read

✦ The Golden Answer: The 303 See Other status code is a temporary redirect that tells the client to fetch the response from a different URI using a GET request. It is specifically designed for the Post/Redirect/Get (PRG) pattern to prevent duplicate form submissions when a user refreshes the page after submitting a form. After a POST, the server responds with 303 to redirect to a confirmation or result page, and the browser fetches that page with a GET.

The Post/Redirect/Get (PRG) Pattern

Without PRG, if a user submits a form and then refreshes the page, the browser will resend the same POST request, potentially duplicating the action (e.g., placing two orders). The PRG pattern solves this:

User submits a form via POST.
Server processes the request and then responds with 303 See Other, with a Location header pointing to a result page.
Browser follows the redirect using a GET request to the result page.
If the user refreshes, only the GET is repeated, not the POST.

Example Flow

Step	Direction	HTTP Message
1	Client → Server	`POST /order HTTP/1.1 Host: example.com Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded product=123&quantity=2`
2	Server → Client	`HTTP/1.1 303 See Other Location: /order-confirmation/456`
3	Client → Server	`GET /order-confirmation/456 HTTP/1.1`
4	Server → Client	`HTTP/1.1 200 OK Content-Type: text/html <html>Thank you for your order!</html>`

303 vs. 302 vs. 307

Status	Method After Redirect	Use Case
303 See Other	Always GET	After POST to show result (PRG pattern).
302 Found	May change to GET	General temporary redirect (legacy).
307 Temporary Redirect	Preserved (POST → POST)	Temporary redirect with method preservation.

SEO Implications

Temporary – 303 is a temporary redirect, so search engines do not transfer PageRank.
Not for permanent moves – use 301 or 308 for permanent changes.
Safe for forms – 303 is the recommended way to handle form submissions to avoid duplicate content issues.

When Not to Use 303

For permanent redirects – use 301 or 308.
When you need to preserve the original method – use 307.
For GET requests – 303 is intended for POST/PUT. For GET, use 302 or 307.
When you want the client to cache the redirect – 303 is not cached by default.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 303 See Other the same as 302?

No. While both are temporary redirects, 303 explicitly changes the method to GET, while 302 may or may not (browser‑dependent). 303 is the correct choice for the PRG pattern.

Can I use 303 for AJAX requests?

Yes, but the browser's automatic redirect handling for AJAX may differ. For fetch/XHR, the redirect is followed automatically, but you may need to handle it in your code. Some libraries allow you to disable automatic redirects and handle them manually.

Is 303 cached?

By default, 303 responses are not cached because they are temporary. You can add Cache-Control headers if you want to cache them for a short period.

Related Codes: 301 Moved Permanently 302 Found 307 Temporary Redirect 308 Permanent Redirect