What Google does with a 410
Google treats all 4xx codes except 429 the same, so Googlebot handles a 410 like a 404 and reports the content as not existing. When an indexed URL starts returning a 4xx code such as 410, Google removes it from its index. For Google, 4xx codes other than 429, 410 included, do not change the crawl rate.
For a removal that lasts, Google's instruction is to delete or change the content and have the server answer 404 or 410.
410 as the no-replacement branch of a migration
In a migration, each old URL gets one of two answers. If the content lives on at another URL, Google's advice is a 301 to it, not an error code. In a site move, Google says old URLs whose content is not migrated should return 404 or 410 on the new site. Sorting URLs into those two groups is part of planning a CMS-to-CMS migration, and the headless CMS SEO migration guide covers the redirect side.
410 vs 404 and when to send it
Permanence unknown. Unlike a 410, a 404 does not say whether the absence is temporary or permanent. If the server cannot tell whether the removal is permanent, RFC 9110 says to send 404 instead of 410.
A message to linkers. A 410 also tells others that the site owner wants links to the resource removed. MDN adds that clients should not repeat requests for a URL that returns 410.
Typical cases. RFC 9110 names limited-time promotions and pages of people no longer with the site.
Optional. A server does not have to mark every removed resource as gone, or keep the 410 for any set time.
Caching. A 410 response is heuristically cacheable.
Sources
- RFC 9110: HTTP SemanticsIETF · rfc-editor.org
- How HTTP status codes, and network and DNS errors affect Google SearchGoogle · developers.google.com
- 404 (Page Not Found) errors - Search Console HelpGoogle · support.google.com
- Removals and SafeSearch reports tool - Search Console HelpGoogle · support.google.com
- Troubleshoot Google Search crawling errorsGoogle · developers.google.com
- Site Moves and MigrationsGoogle · developers.google.com
- 410 Gone - HTTP | MDNMozilla (MDN) · developer.mozilla.org