Meta Refresh

A redirect, a slideshow and a page reloader, all from one tag in the head.

In 2026: Still works in every browser, and after decades outside every spec HTML5 finally standardised it. It breaks the back button and it gives the visitor no way to stop, which is why a server 301 is the right answer for a redirect. Only the no-URL form runs here, so the clock below jumps every four seconds. The two redirect versions are shown as inert markup, because a live one would pull the demo straight off to another page.

Where it came from: Netscape Navigator 1.1 client pull, 1995. It stayed outside every HTML spec until HTML5 finally standardised the refresh pragma. Wikipedia ↗

<!-- Redirect after 5 seconds. Left inert here: a live redirect drags the demo away. -->
<!-- <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="5;url=http://www.example.com/newpage.html"> -->

<!-- Redirect immediately, the poor man's 301. Also inert here. -->
<!-- <meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=/index.html"> -->

<!-- No URL: reload this same page. Slideshows and webcams used this. This one is live. -->
<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="4">

<script language="JavaScript">
document.write("<p>Loaded at " + new Date().toLocaleTimeString() +
  ". Watch the clock jump every four seconds.</p>");
</script>