Nexcess

What are HTTP status codes?

Definition

Status codes within HTTP identify specific tasks and problems encountered when navigating a website.

HTML uses status codes ranging from 100 – 599. Only the status codes ranging between 300 and 599 indicate an error:

  • 1XX: Informational. Request received, process continuing.

  • 2XX: Success. Action was successfully received and executed.

  • 3XX: Redirection. Request requires additional action before completion.

  • 4XX: Client error. The client made an invalid request.

  • 5XX: Server error. The server failed to respond to a valid request.

While many error codes exist, the 403 Forbidden and 404 Not Found error codes are most often encountered by Internet users. 403 occurs when a client attempts to access restricted information with improper credentials; 404 occurs when a client attempts to access a file that does not exist.

Application

As a domain owner, you may create custom error pages for your website. Refer to How to create and manage custom error pages for more information.