HTTP status codes are standardised responses that websites use to communicate with browsers, search engines, and users. This guide offers an overview of the most common HTTP status codes. Use this resource to quickly understand the meaning of each status code and how it affects your website’s functionality.
200 – OK
The HTTP status code ‘200 OK‘ indicates that the server successfully received, understood, and accepted the request. It is commonly seen when a browser successfully retrieves a page or resource, confirming that the connection to the server and request processing was successful.
Redirects: 301 & 302
‘301 Moved Permanently‘ indicates that the page permanently redirects users from one web address to another.
‘302 Found‘ indicates that the page temporarily redirects users from one web address to another.
For more information on redirects and best practices, please explore our guide: Common HTTP Redirects Explained—When and Why to Use Them.
400 – Bad Request
The HTTP status code ‘400 Bad Request‘ indicates that the server cannot process the request due to an error in the request(client-side), often due to malformed syntax or invalid request parameters.
401 – Unauthorized
The HTTP status code ‘401 Unauthorized‘ indicates that authentication is required but has failed or has not been provided. The requester must provide valid authentication credentials to access the resource. This is often seen on websites with login portals or protected resources where users need valid credentials to access content.
403 – Forbidden
The HTTP status code ‘403 Forbidden‘ means that the server understands the request but refuses to authorise it. This usually occurs when the requester does not have the necessary permissions, and it’s commonly seen when users try to access restricted pages or blocked files.
404 – Not Found
The HTTP status code ‘404 Not Found‘ indicates that the server cannot find the requested resource. This can mean the entered URL is invalid or the resource previously there has been (re)moved, such as when a URL is misspelt or the page has been deleted.
500 – Internal Server Error
The HTTP status code ‘500 Internal Server Error‘ indicates that an unexpected condition prevented the server from fulfilling the request. This can occur when there’s a server misconfiguration, faulty script, or other internal errors.
503 – Service Unavailable
The HTTP status code ‘503 Service Unavailable‘ tells the requester that the server is temporarily unable to handle the request, often due to maintenance or overloading. This is often seen when a website is under heavy load or is temporarily down for maintenance.
Continue Learning and Troubleshooting
Now that you’re more familiar with the most common HTTP status codes, you can continue learning with some of these suggestions:
