Meta refresh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Meta refresh is a method of instructing a web browser to automatically refresh the current web page or frame after a given time interval, using an HTML meta element with the http-equiv parameter set to "refresh" and a content parameter giving the time interval in seconds. It is also possible to instruct the browser to fetch a different URL when the page is refreshed, by including the alternative URL in the content parameter. By setting the refresh time interval to zero (or a very low value), this allows meta refresh to be used as a method of URL redirection.
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[edit] Usability
Use of meta refresh is discouraged by the W3C, since unexpected refresh can disorient users[1]. Meta refresh also impairs the web browser's "back" button in some browsers (including Internet Explorer 6 and before), although most modern browsers compensate for this (Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer 7).
Alternatives to meta refresh include JavaScript, or HTTP redirection headers such as HTTP 301.
[edit] Examples
Place inside <head> to refresh page after 5 seconds:
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5" />
Redirect to http://example.com/ after 5 seconds:
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5;url=http://example.com/" />
Redirect to http://example.com/ immediately:
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=http://example.com/" />
[edit] Drawbacks
Meta refresh tags have some drawbacks:
- If a page redirects too quickly (less than 2-3 seconds), using the "Back" button on the next page may cause some browsers to move back to the redirecting page, whereon the redirect will occur again. This is bad for usability, as this may cause a reader to be "stuck" on the last website.
- A reader may or may not want to be redirected to a different page, which can lead to user dissatisfaction or raise concerns about security.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Core Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 - W3C Note 6 November 2000
- ^ Meta Refresh drawbacks
