HTTP Status Codes

HTTP status codes are three-digit numbers returned by the server indicating the outcome of a client's request. The first digit defines the class of response. Clients act on the status code regardless of the response body content.

The standard status codes each carry specific semantics: 200 confirms success, 301 signals a permanent redirect, 404 indicates a missing resource, and 500 reports a server failure.

Table of Contents

1xx: Informational

Informational responses indicate the request was received and processing continues. The server sends a final response after the informational one.

2xx: Success

Success responses indicate the request was received, understood, and accepted.

3xx: Redirection

Redirection responses indicate further action is needed to complete the request. The client follows the Location header to the new address.

4xx: Client error

Client error responses indicate the request contains a problem the server cannot process, such as malformed syntax, missing Authentication, or a non-existent resource.

5xx: Server error

Server error responses indicate the server recognized a valid request but failed to fulfill the request due to an internal problem.

Additional status codes

Beyond the five standard classes, the following status codes appear in practice.

Takeaway

HTTP status codes classify the outcome of every HTTP request into five classes. The first digit identifies the class: informational, success, redirection, client error, or server error. Each status code carries specific semantics guiding clients on how to handle the response.

See also

Last updated: March 6, 2026