I recently noticed that when I searched for the site haveIbeenpwned, two versions appear: one with 'www' in the URL and one without. Both versions are secure (https), but it got me wondering if these are different sites or if they lead to the same place. Can someone clarify if having 'www' means it's a completely different site or if they're essentially the same?
3 Answers
It's common for websites to use both versions. The 'www' is a subdomain, but many times they will lead to the same content. If the site has a notice encouraging use of one version over the other, that's a good clue on which to stick with!
They're usually the same site! Many websites set up redirects from the 'www' version to the non-'www' version (or vice versa) to ensure consistency. For example, in your case, both versions of haveIbeenpwned will direct you to the same online resource.
Yes, they are technically different addresses, but in this case, www.haveibeenpwned.com redirects to haveibeenpwned.com. They are controlled by the same entity, so you can confidently use either one! Just be aware that not every site does this, but most do.
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