HTTP Status Code Explainer
Every website sends HTTP status codes to indicate what is happening when users or search engines request a page. Understanding these codes helps you diagnose issues, improve uptime, and optimize SEO.
What Are HTTP Status Codes?
HTTP status codes are standardized codes sent by a server in response to a browser or client request. They indicate whether the request was successful, redirected, or encountered an error.
Common categories include:
- 1xx – Informational: Request received, continuing process.
- 2xx – Success: Request was successfully received, understood, and accepted (e.g., 200 OK).
- 3xx – Redirection: Further action needs to be taken by the client to complete the request (e.g., 301 Moved Permanently).
- 4xx – Client Errors: Request contains bad syntax or cannot be fulfilled (e.g., 404 Not Found).
- 5xx – Server Errors: Server failed to fulfill a valid request (e.g., 500 Internal Server Error).
Why It Matters
Knowing HTTP status codes is crucial for troubleshooting website downtime, server issues, and SEO problems. For example, multiple 5xx errors indicate server instability, while too many 404 pages can harm SEO.
Monitoring HTTP status codes helps you:
- Detect downtime or server errors quickly.
- Ensure search engines correctly index your site.
- Identify broken links or misconfigured redirects.
- Maintain a healthy user experience and reduce lost revenue.
Tips for Handling HTTP Status Codes
- Regularly monitor your site for 4xx and 5xx errors.
- Fix broken links or set up proper redirects.
- Ensure server configurations return the correct status codes.
- Use uptime monitoring tools to detect recurring issues.