HTTP Status Codes Overview — Choosing the Right Code
In this tutorial, you will learn about HTTP Status Codes Overview. We cover key concepts, practical examples, and best practices to help you master this topic.
HTTP status codes are three-digit codes that indicate the result of an API request, categorized into success (2xx), redirection (3xx), client error (4xx), and server error (5xx) classes.
Status Code Categories
| Range | Category | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2xx | Success | Request received and processed |
| 3xx | Redirection | Further action needed |
| 4xx | Client Error | Client made a bad request |
| 5xx | Server Error | Server failed to Process request |
Common Codes
200 OK: Standard success for GET, PUT, PATCH. 201 Created: Resource created by POST. 204 No Content: Success with no body (DELETE). 400 Bad Request: Malformed request. 401 Unauthorized: Authentication required. 403 Forbidden: No permission. 404 Not Found: Resource does not exist. 409 Conflict: Resource state conflict. 422 Unprocessable Entity: Validation error. 429 Too Many Requests: Rate limit exceeded. 500 Internal Server Error: Unexpected failure.
Common Mistakes
- Using 200 for everything — Not leveraging the full range of status codes.
- Using 500 for client errors — Client errors must always be 4xx.
- Returning 403 instead of 401 — 401 means not authenticated, 403 means not authorized.
Practice Questions
- What do the 2xx, 3xx, 4xx, and 5xx ranges represent?
- When should you use 201 instead of 200?
- What is the difference between 401 and 403?
What's Next
In the next lesson, you will learn 2xx success codes in detail.
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