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HTTP Status Codes

Complete reference for every HTTP response status code. Search, filter, and understand what each code means — from 100 to 599.

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Complete HTTP Status Code Reference

HTTP status codes are three-digit numbers returned by a server in response to a client request. They indicate whether the request was successful, redirected, or resulted in an error. Understanding these codes is essential for web development, API design, and debugging.

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Most Common Status Codes

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a 301 and 302 redirect?

A 301 (Moved Permanently) tells browsers and search engines that the resource has permanently moved to a new URL. Search engines transfer link equity and update their index. A 302 indicates a temporary move and search engines keep the original URL indexed. Use 301 for permanent SEO redirects and 302 for temporary campaigns or A/B tests.

What is the difference between 401 Unauthorized and 403 Forbidden?

401 Unauthorized means the request requires authentication — the user is not logged in or their token is invalid. 403 Forbidden means the server understood the request but refuses to authorize it — the user is authenticated but lacks permission. Use 401 when credentials are missing, 403 when they're present but insufficient.

When should I use 404 vs 410 for removed pages?

Use 404 when a resource doesn't exist but may come back. Use 410 (Gone) when a resource has been permanently deleted and will never return. Search engines de-index 410 pages faster than 404 pages. For SEO cleanup of removed products or deleted content, 410 is the more precise and efficient signal.

What does a 429 status code mean?

429 Too Many Requests means the client has sent too many requests in a given time and the server is rate-limiting them. The response often includes a Retry-After header indicating when to retry. APIs use 429 to enforce usage limits. Clients should implement exponential backoff when receiving 429 responses.

What is the difference between 500 and 503 errors?

500 Internal Server Error is a generic server-side error indicating something unexpected went wrong — a crash, unhandled exception, or misconfiguration. 503 Service Unavailable means the server is temporarily unable to handle requests due to overload or maintenance. 503 typically includes a Retry-After header. Use 503 during planned downtime; 500 signals an unexpected failure.

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