Help Centre

Getting started, frequently asked questions, and what to expect from Hopcheck right now.

Getting started

  1. Go to the App page. You will see a single text input labelled "Enter URL to trace".
  2. Paste or type a URL. Any HTTP or HTTPS URL works — a short link, a campaign URL, a redirect from your own site. If you omit the https:// prefix, Hopcheck adds it automatically.
  3. Click "Trace". Hopcheck follows each redirect one hop at a time, recording the status code (301, 302, 307, 308, or a final 200) and the next location at every step.
  4. Read the chain. Each hop is displayed as a card showing the URL, status code, timing, and any flags. The summary bar at the top tells you whether the chain completed, hit the cap, or had an error. If query parameters changed during the chain, a dedicated section lists every dropped and added parameter.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my URL redirect twice (or more)?

Many URLs redirect more than once. A typical short link does this: the shortener issues a 302 to a tracking intermediary, which issues a 302 to the final destination. This is normal, but each hop is a potential point of failure. Hopcheck shows every hop so you can inspect each one independently.

What does "redirect loop" mean and how does Hopcheck detect it?

A redirect loop happens when a URL redirects to a chain that eventually points back to itself — the browser never lands on a final page. Hopcheck detects loops by following the chain until it either hits the 10-hop cap or encounters a URL it has already visited. If the chain hits the cap, the result clearly says the destination was not fetched, and you can see the looping URLs in the hop cards. If you see the same URL appearing more than once, you have a loop.

Hopcheck says a hop was plaintext HTTP. Is that dangerous?

Any hop served over plain http:// transmits the full URL — including any query parameters — in the clear over the network. If your URL contains ?token=, ?session=, or ?ref= parameters, those values are visible to anyone on the network path during that hop. Even if the chain starts and ends on HTTPS, a single HTTP hop in the middle compromises the data carried on that hop. Hopcheck flags every HTTP hop with a red warning.

I lost my query string somewhere in the chain. How do I find it?

This is one of the most common issues Hopcheck is designed to catch. After a trace completes, scroll down to the "Query parameter changes" section. It lists every parameter that was dropped (with its value and the hop where it disappeared) and every parameter that was added (with the hop where it appeared). If a ?utm_source= or ?ref= parameter vanishes at hop 2, you know exactly where the attribution broke.

Can I use Hopcheck to check where a shortened link goes before clicking it?

Yes — that is one of the primary use cases. Paste the short link into the app and trace it. Hopcheck follows every redirect without loading the final page in a browser, so you can see the full chain before deciding whether to visit the destination. The tool checks only the URL you submit; it does not crawl the destination page or scan for malware.

Does Hopcheck store the URLs I trace?

No. Hopcheck has no database, no user accounts, and no logging of submitted URLs. Each trace is handled in memory for the duration of the request and then discarded. The tool answers when you ask it, and that is the full extent of its operation. See the Privacy Policy for the full details.

Why did Hopcheck report a timeout at hop 3 (or any hop)?

A timeout means the server at that hop did not respond within 15 seconds. Hopcheck reports this as "Check did not complete at hop N" — it is a condition of the server at that point in the chain, not a finding about the final destination. Some servers are slow, some are rate-limiting, and some are down. The timeout tells you where the chain broke, which is useful diagnostic information by itself.

What is the difference between a 301 and a 302 redirect?

A 301 (Permanent Redirect) tells browsers and search engines that the original URL has moved permanently — future requests should go directly to the new URL. A 302 (Temporary Redirect) means the original URL is still valid and should be checked again next time. Hopcheck labels each hop with the specific status code and its meaning (Permanent, Temporary, See Other, etc.) so you can distinguish them at a glance.

Known limitations

Hopcheck is an early-stage tool. These are the things it does not do yet — we are honest about every one.

10-hop maximum

Hopcheck stops following the chain after 10 hops. Chains longer than 10 hops are reported with a clear cap banner, not as a completed trace. A Pro plan with a higher limit (50 hops) is planned for later in 2026.

No API access

There is no public API. All traces must be submitted through the web UI at /app. API access is planned for the Pro and Enterprise tiers.

No batch mode

You can only trace one URL at a time. Batch mode (tracing multiple URLs in a single request) is planned but not yet built.

No email, alerts, or scheduled checks

Hopcheck cannot email you results, send alerts when a URL changes, or re-check a URL on a schedule. There is no email sender in this fleet. The tool answers when you visit the page — that is the full product.

No database, no accounts, no history

Every trace is ephemeral. Results are displayed in your browser and discarded after the request. There is no way to save, share, or revisit a previous trace. Copy the results manually if you need to keep them.

No destination crawling

Hopcheck checks only the URL you submit. It does not crawl the final page, follow links found on it, or scan the domain. It is a redirect tracer, not a site scanner.

No payment processing

Pro and Enterprise plans are not yet available for purchase. The checkout form on the pricing page is a demonstration only — no real payment is taken, and no subscriptions are created. A payment processor (Stripe) has not yet been connected.

Contact us

Hopcheck is an early-stage tool operated by an individual developer. A legal entity has not yet been registered, and support is not yet reachable by email.

If you have found a bug or have a feature request, please note that there is no public issue tracker or contact form at this time. The operator is aware of the following open items (see the product documentation for the full list):

  • Connecting a payment processor (Stripe) for paid plans
  • Establishing a support contact method (email address, help desk, or issue tracker)
  • Registering a legal entity and publishing a contact address

When a support channel is established, this page will be updated with the contact details. Thank you for your patience.