You can use throw render() or throw redirect() in order to abort rendering the current page and render something else instead.

throw redirect() VS throw render() VS navigate()

throw redirect() VS throw render()

While throw redirect() changes the URL, throw render() preserves it:

• If a user goes to /admin and throw redirect('/login') is called, then the /login page is rendered and the user sees a new URL /login in the address bar of his browser.
• If a user goes to /admin and throw render('/login') is called, then the /login page is rendered but the user keeps seeing the same URL /admin in the address bar of his browser (even though the /login page is rendered).

We usually recommend using throw render() instead of throw redirect() as it preserves the URL and, therefore, the user's intention. We further explain this technique at Integration > Authentication > Login flow.

throw redirect() VS navigate()

Difference between throw redirect() and navigate():

• navigate() only works on the client-side and shouldn't be called during the rendering of a page.
• throw redirect() works on both client- and server-side but only works during the rendering a page.

In a nutshell: if you want to abort the rendering of a page then use throw redirect(), otherwise use navigate().

For example:

• For redirecting the user upon a form submit action, use navigate(). (Since the page is already rendered and thus throw redirect() doesn't make sense as there is no pending page rendering to abort.)
• For protecting a page from unprivileged access, such as a normal user trying to access an admin page, use throw redirect() in order to abort (on both server- and client-side) the rendering of the admin page and redirect the user to another page instead (for example the login page).

Debug

If throw redirect() or throw render() doesn't work:

• Make sure throw redirect() / throw render() isn't intercepted.
  In development, check your server logs for the following log. If the log is missing then it means that Vike didn't catch the throw redirect() / throw render() exception: some other code is intercepting it and thus prevents Vike from catching it.

  10:00:00 AM [vike][request(42)] throw redirect('/some-url') intercepted while
  rendering /some-other-url
  

  Most notably, using throw redirect() / throw render() inside a UI component usually doesn't work because most UI frameworks will intercept the exception, and thus Vike won't be able to catch it. Instead, consider using throw redirect() / throw render() in a Vike hook such as guard() or data(), or use navigate().

• Make sure to use throw redirect() / throw render() within a Vike hook.
  If you use throw redirect() / throw render() outside of Vike hooks, for example in some server middleware code, then Vike won't be able to intercept it.

If throw redirect() doesn't work:

• Make sure to add pageContext.httpResponse.headers to the HTTP response.
  If you've embedded Vike into your server using renderPage(), then inspect whether pageContext.httpResponse.headers contains the Location header and double check that you're correctly adding all the headers defined by pageContext.httpResponse.headers to the HTTP response.

See also

• API > throw redirect()
• API > throw render()
• API > navigate()