Every Important HTTP Status Code Explained
Tags: webdev, beginners, programming
Published: 2023-01-27 10:10:24

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) status codes are an essential part of building web applications. These codes act as a communication tool between the server and the client, providing valuable information about the outcome of a request. As a developer, it's important not to only be familiar with the most common codes, but also understand how to handle them in your application in order provide the best user experience.

Here are some of the most important HTTP status codes:

**200 OK**: 
Indicates that the request was successful and the requested information is being returned to the client. This is the status you would expect to see when a user successfully submits a form on your website. This is one of the most common status code, and it means that the request was successfully  received, understood and accepted.

**201 Created**: 
Indicates that a new resource has been successfully created in response to the request. This is the status you would expect to see when a user successfully creates a new account on your website. The 201 code tells the client that the request was successful and a new resource has been created as a result.

**204 No Content**: 
Indicates that the request was successful, but there is no additional information to return. This status is commonly used in DELETE requests, where the server is acknowledging that the resource was deleted but there is no additional information to return. This is a success status code, but it tells the client that the server has fulfilled the request and there is no additional information to send back.

**400 Bad Request**: 
Indicates that the request was invalid or malformed. This could be caused by a user submitting a form with invalid data. As a developer, it's important to handle this error gracefully and provide helpful feedback to the user. This status code means that the request was not understood by the server due to malformed syntax.

**401 Unauthorized**: 
Indicates that the client lacks the necessary authentication credentials to access the requested resource. This status is commonly used when a user is trying to access a protected page without being logged in. The 401 code tells the client that it needs to authenticate in order to gain access to the resource.

**403 Forbidden**: 
Indicates that the client does not have access to the requested resource. This status is commonly used when a user is trying to access a resource that they do not have permission to view. The 403 code means that the server understood the request, but it refuses to authorize it.

**404 Not Found**: 
Indicates that the requested resource could not be found. This request status is commonly used when a user is trying to access a page that does not exist. The 404 status code means that the server could not find the requested resource.

**500 Internal Server Error**: 
Indicates that an error occurred on the server, preventing it from fulfilling the request. This could be caused by a bug in your code. The 500 code means that the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request.

As a developer, it's important to handle all the errors gracefully and provide helpful feedback to the user.

These are just a few examples of the many HTTP status codes that exists. There are many other status codes available, each with their own specific meaning and use. It's important to familiarize yourself with all of the codes and understand how to handle them in your application in order to provide the best user experience. With a good understanding of HTTP status codes, you can build robust and reliable web applications, and provide a great user experience.