HTTP STATUS CODES

HTTP STATUS CODES

HTTP status codes, also known as HTTP response codes, are standardized numeric codes returned by a web server in response to an HTTP request made by a client (such as a web browser or API client). These codes indicate the outcome of the requested operation and provide information about the status of the request and the server's response. HTTP status codes are grouped into five classes, each representing a different category of response:

1xx - Informational Responses:These codes indicate that the server has received the request and is continuing to process it.

2xx - Successful Responses:These codes indicate that the request was successfully received, understood, and processed by the server.

3xx - Redirection Responses:These codes indicate that further action needs to be taken by the client to complete the request.

4xx - Client Error Responses:These codes indicate that there was an issue with the client's request, such as incorrect syntax or authentication problems.

5xx - Server Error Responses:These codes indicate that the server encountered an error or could not fulfill the request due to internal issues.


Here are some commonly encountered HTTP status codes and their meanings:

1. 200 OK: The request was successful, and the server has returned the requested data.

2. 201 Created: The request was successful, and a new resource was created as a result.

3. 204 No Content: The server successfully processed the request, but there is no data to return.

4. 400 Bad Request: The server couldn't understand the request due to malformed syntax or other client errors.

5. 401 Unauthorized: The client's request lacks valid authentication credentials or the provided credentials are invalid.

6. 403 Forbidden: The client does not have permission to access the requested resource.

7. 404 Not Found: The requested resource could not be found on the server.

8. 500 Internal Server Error: The server encountered an internal error or exception while processing the request.

9. 503 Service Unavailable: The server is temporarily unable to handle the request due to maintenance or overloading.

10. 504 Gateway Timeout: server acting as a gateway (usually a proxy server) didn't receive a timely response from an upstream server it needed to access in order to complete the request.

         

HTTP status codes play a crucial role in communication between clients and servers, providing information about the success or failure of requests and offering insights into the cause of issues. Developers and testers often use these codes to diagnose and troubleshoot problems in web applications and APIs.