Glossary · Hosting and delivery
HTTP status code
A three-digit number in an HTTP response that describes the outcome of a request.
Also called: status code, status codes, HTTP response code
Definition
An HTTP status code tells the client whether a request was informational, successful, redirected, rejected because of a client-side problem, or failed because of a server-side problem. Common examples include 200, 301, 404, and 500.
Why it matters
Status codes help diagnose broken pages, redirect behavior, access problems, form or API failures, and crawler-visible site health.
Common misunderstanding
A 200 response only means the request succeeded at the protocol level; it does not prove the page is correct, useful, indexable, or visually healthy.
Ownership implications
Monitoring and release records should identify which statuses are expected for important URLs and who responds when they change.
Business implications
Checking the right status codes during launches and migrations helps prevent invisible traffic, lead, and search losses.
Related terms
Related system family: Hosting & Release
Sources
- HTTP response status codes (opens in a new tab) · MDN Web Docs
- HTTP (opens in a new tab) · MDN Web Docs
Last reviewed July 16, 2026