detect previous url in javascript or jQuery

Question

Is there a way to detect the previous URL that user visited before arrive on my website using javascript or jQuery?

I hope it can be possible avoid using PHP

You should refer to the w3 spec for what the use cases are for being able to retrieve that information (whether on the server or on the browser) and what the values might be. — Jason Cust
– Jason Cust, Commented Jul 14, 2015 at 20:22

Anonymous · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-14 20:24:38Z

1

You seem to want to get the previous URL when the user directly enters the new URL in the browser without clicking a link. This is not possible in PHP or JavaScript. It would be a significant and quite unnecessary security risk, so browsers will refuse to send it. You can only get it through the referrer if the user clicked a link on the previous website that redirected them to yours.

Frankly, there should be no reason for the new website to know about the previous one unless the user was referred from the previous URL by clicking a link.

edited Jul 14, 2015 at 20:24

answered Jul 14, 2015 at 20:18

Anonymous

12.1k7 gold badges37 silver badges58 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

neoDev Over a year ago

what you mean "because it would be a huge security risk" please can you explain better in your answer?

Anonymous Over a year ago

I mean that websites could track you unwillingly even though this feature would provide no applicable value. The website you just happened to previously be on is in no way relevant to the new one.

neoDev Over a year ago

So how commonly people do it? because I know that other websites can track the previous page

Anonymous Over a year ago

They don't. If anything, they track a referrer which is only present when people click a link on the previous page to be redirected to the new one.

ODelibalta · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-14 20:11:35Z

1

document.referrer

I think is the most common one. There is also the history api

answered Jul 14, 2015 at 20:11

ODelibalta

2,2741 gold badge19 silver badges32 bronze badges

1 Comment

neoDev Over a year ago

seem to does not work for me... I'm using Chrome on Windows

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

detect previous url in javascript or jQuery

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

4 Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related