HTTP Status Lookup
Look up HTTP status codes and their meanings with this comprehensive HTTP status code reference tool. Quickly understand what any HTTP status code means, from common codes like 200 and 404 to less common ones, complete with detailed explanations and use cases. Essential for web developers, API developers, and system administrators.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tool includes all standard HTTP status codes from 1xx (Informational) through 5xx (Server Error), including common codes like 200 (OK), 404 (Not Found), 500 (Internal Server Error), and many others defined in HTTP specifications.
Simply enter an HTTP status code (e.g., 403, 301, 503) and the tool will display its official name, category, detailed description, and common use cases to help you understand what the code means.
4xx status codes indicate client errors (problems with the request), while 5xx codes indicate server errors (problems on the server side). This distinction helps in troubleshooting where the issue originated.
Yes, the tool provides detailed information about all 3xx redirect codes including 301 (Permanent Redirect), 302 (Temporary Redirect), and 304 (Not Modified), explaining when and how to use each type.
Absolutely! Understanding HTTP status codes is crucial for building RESTful APIs. The tool helps you choose the right status code for different API responses and understand codes returned by third-party APIs.
Yes, it covers all 2xx success codes including 200 (OK), 201 (Created), 204 (No Content), and others, explaining the subtle differences and when to use each one in your applications.
401 Unauthorized means authentication is required or failed - the user hasn't provided valid credentials. Include a WWW-Authenticate header to tell clients how to authenticate. 403 Forbidden means the server understood the request but refuses to authorize it - authentication was successful but the user lacks permission for the resource.
Use 201 Created when a POST or PUT request successfully creates a new resource. Include a Location header with the URL of the newly created resource. Use 200 OK for successful requests that don't create resources, like GET requests, updates (PUT/PATCH) to existing resources, or DELETE operations.
301 Moved Permanently tells clients and search engines the resource has permanently moved - browsers and search engines cache this and update bookmarks/indexes. 302 Found (or 307 Temporary Redirect) indicates temporary redirection - search engines maintain the original URL in their index. Use 301 for permanent URL changes, 302 for temporary situations.
When returning 429, include a Retry-After header indicating when the client can retry (in seconds or HTTP date). This status indicates rate limiting - the client made too many requests. Implement exponential backoff in your client code when receiving 429 to respect rate limits and avoid further throttling.