What's the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect for a dead project?

A 301 is permanent, a 302 is temporary. For a dead project, use 301. It tells search engines the page has moved for good, which passes link equity and avoids confusion. A 302 would make search engines think you might bring the page back, which is misleading.

Should I redirect my dead project's domain to my personal site?

Yes, if you have a personal site. Redirect to a relevant page, like your blog's homepage or a 'Projects' page. If you don't have a site, consider a simple 'Project Sunsetted' page on a free service. The point is to give visitors somewhere to go.

How long should I keep the redirect active?

Keep it for at least a year. Search engines may take months to recrawl and update their indexes. After that, you can let the domain expire or sell it. But if you sell it, the redirect will hurt the value, so weigh your options.

Can I sell a domain that has a redirect on it?

You can, but it's not ideal. Buyers want the traffic and backlinks, and a redirect will divert that traffic away. If you plan to sell, skip the redirect and use a parking page instead. That way, the domain retains its value.

What's the point of burying a project on dead.domains?

It's a way to formally mark the end of a project. For a dollar, you can list the domain in the graveyard, which can be a nice ritual. It also lets other founders see what you built and maybe learn from it. It's closure, essentially.

The Indie Hacker's Domain Sunset Playbook: From 404 to Graceful Redirect

When you kill a side project, the domain is the last thing to die. A 404 is a dead end for users and search engines. A graceful redirect keeps the trail warm, preserves SEO, and shows respect for the people who cared. Here's the playbook.

What Does 'Project Sunsetting' Actually Mean?

Sunsetting is the polite word for pulling the plug. It's the process of winding down a product, its infrastructure, and its online presence without leaving a digital corpse. For indie hackers, the domain is the most visible part of that corpse. A bare 404 page is a slap in the face to anyone who bookmarked your tool or linked to your blog post.

Think of it this way: your domain is a public address. When you move away, you don't just nail the door shut. You leave a forwarding address. That's what a graceful redirect does. It tells visitors, "This thing is gone, but here's where to go next."

Why Bother With a Redirect When the Project Is Dead?

Because dead projects still have traffic. Search engines don't know your project is dead. They keep sending people to your URLs. Those people hit a 404 and bounce. That's wasted goodwill, wasted link equity, and a wasted chance to point them somewhere useful.

A 301 redirect is the standard move. It tells search engines the page has moved permanently, and it passes most of the link juice to the new destination. A 302 is temporary, which is wrong for a permanent sunset. Use 301 unless you genuinely plan to resurrect the project.

What Should You Redirect To?

Redirect to something useful. If you have a blog, redirect to the blog's homepage or a relevant post. If you have a portfolio, redirect to that. If you have nothing else, redirect to a simple "Project Sunsetted" page on your personal site. That page should explain what happened, thank users, and link to alternatives if any exist.

Don't redirect to a generic 404 or a domain parking page. That's just a 404 with extra steps. And don't redirect to a competitor's site unless you're being paid for it, which is a whole other game.

How Do You Set Up the Redirect Properly?

The mechanics depend on your hosting. If you're on a static host like Netlify or Vercel, you can add redirect rules in a config file. If you're on a traditional server, you'll use an .htaccess file or nginx config. The key is to map old paths to new paths, not just the root domain.

For example, if your project had a blog at /blog, redirect that to your new blog's archive. If it had a pricing page, redirect that to a contact page or a note about the shutdown. The more specific the mapping, the better the user experience.

What About Email and Subdomains?

Email is a separate beast. If you used a custom domain for email, you need to handle that before the domain expires. Set up a catch-all forwarder or at least an auto-reply that says the project is dead and provides a new contact. Otherwise, people will email into the void.

Subdomains need redirects too. If you had app.yourproject.com, redirect that to the main domain or a shutdown notice. Don't leave subdomains hanging. They're part of the same domain, and they'll 404 just as badly.

How Do You Communicate the Shutdown?

Before you flip the switch, tell people. Send an email to your user list if you have one. Post on your blog or social media. Give a clear date and what will happen to their data. Then after the shutdown, update the domain to show a notice for a few weeks before you set the redirect.

A good shutdown notice is short and honest. "We're shutting down. Here's why. Here's how to export your data. Thanks for using us." That's it. No drama, no false promises.

What If You Want to Sell or Give Away the Domain?

If you want to recoup some costs, you can sell the domain. But a redirect will hurt the value, because buyers want the traffic and the backlinks. If you're selling, skip the redirect and let the domain sit with a simple parking page until it's sold.

If you're giving it away, make sure the new owner knows what they're getting. A domain with a history of a dead project might have spammy backlinks or a bad reputation. Check the domain's history before you hand it over.

How Do You Bury the Project on dead.domains?

When the redirect is set and the emails are sent, it's time to bury the project properly. Head over to bury your dead project and pay the one-dollar burial fee. That's it. A dollar to mark the grave, so to speak. Then browse the graveyard to see how others have done it.

It's a small ritual, but it's a good one. It closes the loop. You're not just letting the domain rot; you're acknowledging the project's life and death. And who knows, maybe a buyer will see it and give it a second life.

The Checklist: Before You Start

Before you touch the DNS, do these things:

Export all user data - Give users a way to get their stuff out. Even a simple CSV dump is better than nothing.
Back up the database - You might need it later for reference or legal reasons.
Write the shutdown notice - Draft the email and blog post. Keep it short and clear.
Pick a redirect target - Decide where each main URL should go. Write the mapping down.
Set up email forwarding - If you used a custom domain for email, configure a catch-all or auto-reply.
Check for critical services - Make sure no payment processors or APIs depend on the domain.

The Checklist: During the Shutdown

Send the email - Give users at least a week's notice before you kill the site.
Post the notice on the site - Replace the homepage with a banner or a full-page notice.
Set the redirects - Use 301s for permanent moves. Test each one.
Update subdomains - Redirect app.yourproject.com and any other subdomains.
Monitor for a week - Watch for broken links or user complaints.
Turn off the servers - After the grace period, shut down the backend.

The Checklist: After You're Done

Verify the redirects - Use a tool like Redirect Checker to confirm they work.
Check search engines - See if Google has picked up the redirects. It can take a while.
Update your portfolio - Remove the dead project from your list of works.
Bury the project - Bury your dead project for a dollar.
Update your social profiles - Change any links that point to the dead domain.
Say goodbye - Write a final blog post or tweet. It's cathartic.

The Bottom Line

A graceful shutdown is a gift to your users and to your own reputation. It's not hard, and it takes less than an hour. Do it right, and you'll walk away with your head held high. Then browse the graveyard and see where your project's final resting place might be.