What are Standard HTTP Error Codes?

HTTP status codes are messages from a server attached to a web page. They are not part of the website you see; they are messages from the computer telling you whether the web page worked or not. When your computer talks to a server, messages are sent back, even if you don’t see them. If you own or work on websites, you must know what HTTP status numbers mean.

HTTP status codes are very helpful for finding and fixing problems with a website’s setup. In this article, we will discuss different server messages and errors and explain what they mean about what’s happening on the server that you can’t see.

Let’s get started! 

What Are HTTP Status Codes?

An HTTP status number tells a computer what website to look at when it asks for it. The website server tells your browser to show the page, and your browser returns a code of three numbers. This code is called the HTTP success code.

These codes let your computer and the server talk to each other. They tell you if everything is fine, if they’re not sure, or if something needs to be fixed. If you know these codes and how to use them, you can quickly find and fix website problems. Your site does not need to be down.

What are the different types of HTTP status codes?

There are five classes of HTTP status codes, and the first number in each class tells you what kind of answer it is. Here are the classes:

HTTP Status Code 200 – OK

The code HTTP 200 OK means the server successfully got the request. Usually, this can be saved for later use. When you ask to GET something, the server has found it and sent it back in the reply.

HTTP Status Code 301 – Permanent Redirect

301 redirect is used when you change a website address forever. 301 tells visitors and search engines that the old address has changed to the new one. Also, the value from links pointing to the old address gets transferred to the new one. Even though Google says it treats all types of redirects the same, experiments show that’s different. A 301 redirect is still the best way to make a permanent change.

HTTP Status Code 302 – Temporary Redirect

A 302 redirect tells visitors and search engines that a page has moved, but only for a little while, not forever. Unlike a 301 redirect, it might not keep the value of links pointing to the old page. It’s not good for changes meant to last a long time because search engines see it as a temporary move and might not give the new page the benefits a 301 redirect would.

HTTP Status Code 403 – Forbidden

The HTTP 403 Forbidden error means that the server knows what you requested but won’t let you have it. It’s a bit like the 401 error, but even if you try to log in again, it won’t help. This happens when the website’s rules don’t allow you to access something, maybe because you don’t have permission.

HTTP Status Code 404 – Not Found

The HTTP 404 Not Found response status code indicates that the server could not find the requested resource. Links to 404 pages are sometimes called broken or dead links, and they can be prone to link rot. A 404 status code indicates that the resource is missing but does not specify whether the absence is temporary or permanent.

HTTP Status Code 410 – Gone

A 410 code means a page is completely gone, more so than a 404. It’s like saying the page has been removed on purpose and has no new place for it. If your website links to a page that’s gone (410), those links must be fixed and lead nowhere. You should remove or update these links so people and search engines aren’t trying to find something that’s not there anymore.

HTTP Status Code 500 – Internal Server Error

The HTTP status code 500 represents a general error response. It indicates that the server encountered an unexpected circumstance that prevented it from completing the request. The server typically provides this error when no other error code is appropriate.

HTTP Status Code 503 – Service Unavailable

The HTTP 503 Service Unavailable server error response code indicates that the server is not ready to handle the request. Common causes include a server that has been offline for maintenance or is overloaded.

Understanding and Troubleshooting HTTP Status Codes

Here are some simple tips for understanding and fixing HTTP status code issues:

• Check the status code: When a webpage doesn’t load, look for the error number (404 or 503) to determine the problem.
• Use browser tools: Right-click and select “Inspect” or “Developer Tools” in your web browser to find errors.
• Refresh the page: Sometimes, simply refreshing the webpage can fix temporary issues.
• Clear your browser cache: Old data stored in your browser might cause problems. Clearing it can help.
• Check if the site is down for everyone: Use websites like “Down for Everyone or Just Me” to see if the problem is just for you or everyone.
• Search for the error code online: Look up what the code means and how others have solved it.
• Update your website: If you own a website, ensure everything is up-to-date, including plugins and themes.
• Check website code: If you’re a developer, look for mistakes in your website’s code that might cause the error.
• Use online tools: Many tools, like Optimizo, are available that can help you find and fix website errors.
• Ask for help: If you’re stuck, consider asking a more experienced friend or hiring a professional.

Why Choose Optimizo

Choosing the Optimizo redirect checker is based on its ability to efficiently help users and developers identify, understand, and resolve HTTP status codes that web servers return. This can be crucial for several reasons:

• Quick discovery of Web Issues: It allows for the quick discovery of web page issues, such as broken links or server faults, which can have a detrimental influence on user experience and SEO rankings.
• Time-Saving: Manually checking each page for status codes is time-consuming, especially for large sites. An Optimizo does this automatically, saving valuable time.
• Improving Website Health: Identifying and allowing for the correction of error codes (like 404 Not Found or 500 Internal Server Error) helps maintain a healthy, more navigable website.
• SEO Optimization: Search engines penalize sites with many broken links or errors. Fixing these issues helps maintain and improve search engine optimization (SEO).
• User Experience: Ensuring all pages on a site are accessible, and load correctly enhances the overall user experience.
• Monitoring and Reporting: These tools often provide reports and logs of the site’s status code history, which can be crucial for ongoing website maintenance and monitoring.
• Ease of Use: A good Optimizo tool is user-friendly, requiring no extensive technical knowledge to operate effectively.

Conclusion

We’ve explored HTTP status codes key for websites to talk to us. These codes tell us if a page is okay, moved, or has a problem. They’re important for making or managing websites because they help find and fix issues. This keeps websites working well and easy to use. We also discussed using tools like Optimizo to handle these codes better, keeping websites in good shape. To end, knowing and fixing HTTP status codes makes the internet better for everyone.