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Web servers on the Internet provide standardized HTTP status codes as responses. These codes help the client (usually a web browser or application) understand the result of its request to the server. Every time a user accesses a website, the server returns an HTTP status code as part of the response header, which indicates whether the request was successful, encountered an error, or requires further action.
HTTP status codes are critical in debugging, website performance analysis, and SEO. They also help API developers design efficient error-handling mechanisms.
Developers group HTTP status codes into five categories based on their first digit.
These codes indicate that the server has received the request and is continuing to process it.
These codes indicate that the request was successfully received, understood, and accepted.
These codes indicate that further action is needed to complete the request.
These codes indicate that the client seems to have made an error.
These codes indicate that the server failed to fulfill a valid request.
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Status codes help developers diagnose issues with client-server communication. A 500 Internal Server Error, for example, can prompt a developer to check the server logs.
APIs rely heavily on status codes to inform clients about the result of their requests. For instance, a RESTful API might return a 201 status code when a new user is successfully created.
Search engines use status codes to determine how to crawl and index web pages. For instance, a 301 redirect helps transfer link equity from an old URL to a new one, while a 404 page can harm SEO if not handled properly.
Status codes like 401 and 403 help maintain secure access control mechanisms by indicating authentication and authorization issues.
Used when the request is successfully processed. It’s the most common status code.
Returned when a new resource is created as a result of a POST request.
Indicates success but returns no content. Used for operations like DELETE.
Used for permanent redirection. Important for SEO when changing URLs.
A temporary redirect. Often used during testing or for temporary pages.
Used when the client has cached content and the server confirms that nothing has changed.
Triggered by malformed syntax or invalid parameters.
Requires authentication before the request can be fulfilled.
The client is authenticated but doesn’t have permission to access the resource.
Occurs when the requested resource doesn’t exist. One of the most common errors.
A rate-limiting error that tells the client to slow down their request rate.
A catch-all for general server issues.
Often seen when a proxy or gateway receives an invalid response from an upstream server.
Returned during server maintenance or overload.
Indicates that the upstream server failed to respond in time.
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In RESTful APIs, status codes communicate the result of an API call. Here’s how they’re used:
Proper use of status codes makes APIs predictable and user-friendly.
HTTP status codes are foundational to modern web communication. Whether you’re building a full-stack application, troubleshooting client-server issues, or optimizing for search engines, understanding HTTP status codes is non-negotiable. These response codes inform developers, browsers, and users about the state of a web request, helping ensure clear, reliable communication over the internet. By mastering these codes, web professionals can design more robust, responsive, and secure applications. From simple success codes like 200 OK to complex error codes like 503 Service Unavailable, every status code tells a story—one that can guide both development and user experience.
An HTTP status code is a server response to a client’s request, indicating the result of the communication.
404 Not Found means the requested resource could not be found on the server.
301 is a permanent redirect, while 302 is a temporary redirect.
No, others like 201 (Created) and 204 (No Content) also indicate success.
Use 401 when authentication is required and 403 when access is forbidden even with authentication.
500 Internal Server Error occurs due to unhandled exceptions or server misconfigurations.
Yes, incorrect status codes like 404 or 500 can negatively impact SEO.
It means the user has sent too many requests in a given time and is being rate-limited.
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