HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) status codes are three-digit codes a server generates in response to a browser’s request. They are not part of the website’s content. Instead, they are messages from the server enlightening you on how things went when it received the request to view a particular page.
These (also known as response status codes) are the internet parallel of conversations between your browser and the server. There are various code classes based on the type of information they intercommunicate. The variations differ through the first digit of the error code.
For example, just like a 404 error, any other 4xx will mean that the website or page could not be reached somehow, while a 2xx means that the server successfully received, understood and processed the browser request.
The five classes include:
- 1xx informational response — server has received the request and is continuing the process
- 2xx successful response — the request was successful, and the browser has received the expected information
- 3xx redirection message — you have been redirected, and fulfilment of the browser’s request needs further action
- 4xx client error — website or page could not be reached (page not found); either the page is unavailable, or the browser’s request contains lousy syntax
- 5xx server error — the request appears to be valid and accepted, but the server could not complete the request