HTTP status codes are short messages as server responses to your request to view a page. These codes are generated by a server that is attached to a web page. They don’t form a part of the site’s content but can appear when your browser communicates with a server. You may not always see them, but website owners and developers must understand what are HTTP status codes and how they can help you resolve website issues.
This guide helps you learn what HTTP response codes are, and how to check HTTP status codes! Let’s delve into it!
What are HTTP Status Codes?
When you visit a website, your browser responds with a 3-digit HTTP status code. These codes are like a conversation between your browser and the server. They inform you if things are okay with your website or if there are issues so that you can take action accordingly.
HTTP status codes are 3-digit responses from the server that are generated when a browser request is made. One of the most common HTTP response codes is a 404 page-not-found error.
This is an HTTP client error status code, which has a relevant meaning. The first digit of the code classifies its type. For example, 4xx indicates a client error, like a page not found, and 2xx signifies a successful request. Thus, it is important to understand what are HTTP response codes, to diagnose site errors and minimize downtime.
5 Types of Status Code Classes
HTTP status codes are categorized into five classes, and each type signifies different responses:
- 100s—Informational Codes: These indicate that the browser’s request is continuing.
- 200s—Success Codes: These signify that the server received, understood, and processed the browser’s request.
- 300s—Redirection Codes: These occur when a new resource replaces the requested resource.
- 400s—Client Error Codes: These show issues with the request.
- 500s—Server Error Codes: These show that the server encountered an error after accepting the request.
Common HTTP Status Codes
There are several types of status codes. Here’s a list of HTTP status codes, including some less common codes you might encounter:
100 Status Codes: Informational Responses Indicating the Request is Still in Progress
| Code | Description |
| 100 Status Codes | Informational responses that show that the request is still in progress |
| 100 | The server has received the request headers and is waiting for the body |
| 101 | Protocols are constantly getting modified as per the server |
| 103 | Preliminary response headers before the final response |
200 Status Codes: Summary of HTTP Status Codes
| Status Code | Description |
| 200 Status Codes | Success responses indicating the request was successfully processed |
| 200 | This means that the request has succeeded, and the server returned the expected response |
| 201 | Shows that something new has been created |
| 202 | The request was accepted; however, the processing is still pending |
| 203 | The Proxy modified the server’s response |
| 204 | The request succeeded, but no content was returned |
| 205 | The request succeeded, and the user agent should reset the document view |
| 206 | Partial Content – The server is delivering part of the resource due to a range header sent by the client |
300 Status Codes: Redirection Messages
| Status Code | Description |
| 300 Status Codes | Redirection messages indicating the resource has been moved |
| 300 | Shows multiple options for the resource |
| 301 | This means that the resource has been shifted to a different or unique URL (permanently) |
| 302 | This means that the resource has been shifted to a new URL (temporarily) |
| 303 | Must use another URL to get the resource. |
| 304 | No changes have been made to the resource since the last request |
| 307 | Resource temporarily moved to another URL; use the original request method |
| 308 | Resource permanently moved to another URL; use the original request method |
400 Status Codes: Client Error Responses
| Status Code | Description |
| 400 Status Codes | Client error responses indicate problems with the request |
| 400 | Bad Request – Shows a client error |
| 401 | Request that requires authentication |
| 402 | Reserved for future use. Often used for limitations or failed payments |
| 403 | Forbidden error, which means the server understands but cannot authorize the request |
| 404 | Resource error |
| 405 | The resource does not support the request method |
| 406 | The resource can only generate unacceptable content according to the Accept headers |
| 407 | The client must authenticate with the proxy |
| 408 | Time-out server error |
| 409 | The request could not be processed due to a conflict |
| 410 | The resource is not available and won’t be available again |
| 411 | You must specify the length of the content |
| 412 | Specified preconditions not met by the client |
| 413 | The request entity is larger than the server will process |
| 414 | The URL is quite lengthy, because of which the request cannot be processed |
| 415 | The request has a media type the server does not support |
| 416 | The mentioned range cannot be fulfilled |
| 417 | Expect request-header field requirements not met |
| 418 | I’m a teapot – April Fools’ joke response |
| 422 | Unable to process the instructions |
| 425 | The request cannot be processed as it might be replayed |
| 426 | You must move to a different protocol |
| 428 | The request should be conditional |
| 429 | Indicates too many requests |
| 431 | The server cannot process the request because of the large header fields |
| 451 | The resource is unavailable due to legal reasons |
| 499 | The client closed the request while the server was processing it with a short form NGINX |
500 Status Codes: Server Error Responses
| Status Code | Description |
| 500 Status Codes | Highlights problems on the server side |
| 500 | The server encountered an unexpected failure or error |
| 501 | The functionality is not supported |
| 502 | The server did not get a valid response from the server |
| 503 | The server is currently unavailable |
| 504 | No timely response was received from the server |
| 505 | HTTP protocol not valid |
| 508 | The server has exhausted its resources |
| 509 | The server’s bandwidth limit has been exceeded |
| 511 | You must authenticate to get network access |
| 521 | Down server |
| 525 | Failed SSL handshake with the server |
Why HTTP Status Codes and Errors Are Important for SEO
Search engine bots encounter HTTP status codes while crawling your site. These codes can affect how your pages are indexed and how search engines perceive your site’s health.
Generally, 100- and 200-level codes won’t impact your SEO significantly as they indicate that everything is functioning correctly. However, higher-level codes can affect your SEO performance.
300-Level Codes:
- Permanent Redirects (301): These pass link equity from backlinks, helping SEO.
- Temporary Redirects (302): These do not pass link equity, potentially losing SEO benefits.
400- and 500-Level Codes:
- 400-Level Codes: Client errors that prevent bots from accessing your pages.
- 500-Level Codes: Server errors indicate issues that can harm your site’s ranking.
Properly managing these codes ensures that search engines can crawl and index your content effectively.
HTTP Status Codes and SEO: Key Codes
Here are the five key status codes you need to know:
| Code | Description |
| 200 (OK) | Ensures relevant user experience and shows that pages are accessible |
| 301 Moved Permanently | This is used when a page’s URL changes permanently. It redirects users and retains SEO value |
| 302 Found | This code is used for temporary redirects |
| 404 Not Found | Shows a page cannot be found. You must monitor and fix this error to prevent SEO issues |
| 410 Gone | This shows a page is permanently gone. It is used to remove hacked content from search engine indexes |
How to Check HTTP Status Codes in Chrome
Follow these steps to check HTTP status codes on Google Chrome:
Step 1: Open the URL you want to check, click on Developer Tools, and click on the “Network” tab.
Step 2: Refresh the page.
Step 3: Scroll to the top of the list of requests and find the first request of type “document”.
Step 4: In the “Status” column, you can find the HTTP response code.
How to Check HTTP Status Codes in Google Search Console
Google Search Console can help monitor how Google sees the HTTP status codes on your site. The Coverage report shows 300-, 400-, and 500-level status codes under different sections:
- Errors: Pages with critical issues, like 404 or 500 errors.
- Valid with Warnings: Pages that are indexed but have issues.
- Excluded: Pages not indexed, possibly due to redirects or other reasons.
- Valid: Pages that are properly indexed without issues.
Where to Learn More About HTTP Status Codes?
To delve deeper into HTTP status codes, consult these resources:
- Wikipedia’s list of HTTP status codes
- Internet Engineering Task Force status code definitions
- RFC 7231
These resources can help you understand and resolve unique issues related to status codes.
Finding 404 Pages in Google Analytics
You can identify 404 pages in Google Analytics by checking the page titles. Here’s how:
Step 1: In your analytics tool, search for Site Content and then click on ‘All Pages.’
Step 2: Set the primary dimension to Page Title
Step 3: Search for “404” or “Page Not Found”.
This should generate a report of your 404 pages.
Fixing 404 Errors
Follow these steps to get rid of the 404 errors:
Step 1: Refresh the page.
Step 2: Check the URL.
Step 3: Try a different device.
If these steps don’t work, the content may have moved or been deleted.
Fixing 503 Errors
A 503 error indicates the server is unavailable. Here’s how to troubleshoot:
Step 1: Check server status.
Step 2: Restart the server.
Step 3: Analyze traffic and check if the traffic is legitimate or a DDoS attack.
Step 4: Upgrade server resources.
Regular 503 errors show a server issue that requires thorough investigation and immediate fixes.
Conclusion
Understanding HTTP status codes is integral to maintaining a healthy website and offering a convenient user experience. With HTTP requests explained thoroughly, you can also optimize your websites for search engines. These codes serve as communication between your server and clients and can impact your SEO performance.
You must regularly monitor these status codes to ensure your website remains accessible. A user-friendly and SEO-compliant delivers exceptional UI/UX. You must proactively manage this extensive list of HTTP status codes to prevent issues and maintain your search engine rankings.
Contact the professionals at Digital Pacific and gain deeper insights into less common codes. The experts will help you troubleshoot unique issues effectively and address errors promptly.
