wpoven432

What is a 4XX Error? A Guide to 4XX HTTP Status Codes

aditi guleria's photo
aditi guleria
·

2 min read

HTTP status codes are three-digit numbers that are returned by web servers to provide information about the status of a client's request. The 4XX series of HTTP status codes are client error responses, indicating that the request made by the client contains incorrect or invalid syntax, or the client does not have sufficient permissions to access the requested resource. Here's a guide to commonly encountered 4XX HTTP status codes:

  1. 400 Bad Request:

    • This status code indicates that the server cannot understand the client's request due to malformed syntax or invalid parameters.

  2. 401 Unauthorized:

    • The 401 status code indicates that the requested resource requires authentication. The client must provide valid credentials (e.g., username and password) to access the resource.

  3. 403 Forbidden:

    • The 403 status code indicates that the server understands the client's request but refuses to fulfill it. The client may not have sufficient permissions to access the requested resource.

  4. 404 Not Found:

    • This is one of the most well-known status codes. It indicates that the server cannot find the requested resource. It may be due to a mistyped URL, a deleted or moved resource, or an issue with the server configuration.

  5. 405 Method Not Allowed:

    • The server returns a 405 status code when the requested resource does not support the HTTP method used by the client (e.g., GET, POST, PUT). The server may provide an Allow header indicating the supported methods.

  6. 408 Request Timeout:

    • The server returns a 408 status code when the client's request took too long to complete, and the server timed out waiting for the request.

  7. 429 Too Many Requests:

    • The 429 status code indicates that the client has exceeded the rate limit or request quota imposed by the server. It is often used to prevent abuse and protect server resources.

These are just a few examples of the 4XX series of HTTP status codes. Each code provides specific information about the error encountered, helping clients and developers troubleshoot and handle different scenarios. It's essential to understand these status codes to diagnose and resolve issues when working with web applications and APIs.