About HTTP Status Reference

Quick lookup of HTTP status codes and their meanings. Part of the DevTools Surf developer suite. Browse more tools in the Networking collection.

Use Cases

• Looking up unfamiliar status codes from API error responses
• Choosing correct status codes when designing REST API endpoints
• Debugging unexpected HTTP responses in integration testing
• Training junior developers on proper HTTP status code usage

Tips

• Search by code number for instant meaning and description
• Browse by category: 2xx success, 4xx client, 5xx server errors
• Use this as a quick reference when debugging API responses

Fun Facts

• HTTP status codes were defined in HTTP/1.0 (RFC 1945) in 1996 by Tim Berners-Lee, Roy Fielding, and Henrik Frystyk Nielsen.
• The 418 'I'm a teapot' status code originated from an April Fools' joke RFC 2324 in 1998, defining the Hyper Text Coffee Pot Control Protocol.
• Status code 451 'Unavailable for Legal Reasons' was approved in 2015, named after Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451.

FAQ

Which codes are explained?

All standard ones from RFC 7231 and follow-ups. Common ones first (200, 201, 204, 301, 302, 400, 401, 403, 404, 500, 502, 503), with obscure ones in full list.

When should I use 401 vs 403?

401 Unauthorized: 'I don't know who you are, authenticate.' 403 Forbidden: 'I know who you are, but you can't have this.' Commonly confused.

What's 418 I'm a teapot?

Joke code from RFC 2324 (HTCPCP). Some APIs use it for 'request rejected for non-serious reasons' but semantically it means nothing. Avoid in real APIs.

When to use 3xx redirects?

301 permanent (SEO-transferring), 302 temporary, 303 see-other (POST-redirect-GET pattern), 307/308 preserve method. 301 for SEO moves; 302 for login redirects.