A Quick Guide to the Most Common HTTP Response Codes

When you visit a website or interact with an API, the server responds with an HTTP status code — a three-digit number that tells you how the request was handled. Here's a breakdown of the most common codes:

✅ 200 OK

The gold standard of HTTP responses.
The request succeeded, and the server returned the expected content.

🔀 301 Moved Permanently

This page has moved for good.
A permanent redirect. Search engines will update their records to point to the new location.

🔁 302 Found (Temporary Redirect)

This page is somewhere else—just for now.
A temporary redirect that tells browsers to try a different URL, but don’t update bookmarks or search indexes.

🔐 403 Forbidden

Access denied.
The request was understood, but the server is refusing to fulfill it. Often due to permissions issues.

❓ 404 Not Found

The classic "page not found" error.
The requested resource could not be found. Often caused by a broken or mistyped link.

🚫 500 Internal Server Error

Something broke on the server.
A generic catch-all for unexpected server-side issues.

⏱ 503 Service Unavailable

The server is taking a break.
Often appears during maintenance or if the server is overloaded. Usually temporary.