[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #6221: Use `410 Gone` response on permanently closed plugin pages. (was: Use `401 Gone` response on permanently closed plugin pages.)

[Making WordPress.org]

#6221: Use `410 Gone` response on permanently closed plugin pages.
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 Reporter:  peterwilsoncc     |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)      |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal            |   Milestone:
Component:  Plugin Directory  |  Resolution:
 Keywords:                    |
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Old description:

> Plugin pages for permanently closed plugins currently emit a HTTP `200
> OK` response. For these pages a `401 Gone` response makes more sense.
>
> I suggest this for both developer initiated (such as
> [https://wordpress.org/plugins/rapid-adn-widget/ this plugin for
> app.net]) and plugin team initiated closures.
>
> For temporary closures, I think it's best if the response code remain
> `200 OK`.

New description:

 Plugin pages for permanently closed plugins currently emit a HTTP `200 OK`
 response. For these pages a `410 Gone` response makes more sense.

 I suggest this for both developer initiated (such as
 [https://wordpress.org/plugins/rapid-adn-widget/ this plugin for app.net])
 and plugin team initiated closures.

 For temporary closures, I think it's best if the response code remain `200
 OK`.

--

Comment (by dd32):

 401/403 are permission-related statuses, which do not make sense to be
 used in this context IMHO.

 Updated to reflect `410 Gone` rather than `401`.

 There's three statuses we can use here:
  - 200 (Current)
  - 404 (Temporarily not here)
  - 410 (Permanently gone, no longer exists).

 When a plugin is closed, we currently return a `robots` `noindex` tag for
 closed plugins but keep 200 as the status code.

 I don't think we should return 404 for plugins that exist, but are no
 longer available.

 410 Makes the most sense to me.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6221#comment:1>
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