#http
Articles tagged "http".
10 articles
HTTP Status Codes Explained: what 404, 500 and 503 really mean
Every status code is your server trying to tell you something. Here's a plain-English guide to the ones you'll actually meet — what they mean, whose fault they are, and what to do about each.
502 Bad Gateway: what it means and how to fix it
A 502 Bad Gateway means the server in front of your app couldn't get a valid response from the app itself. Here's what's really happening, the usual causes, and how to fix — and prevent — it.
503 Service Unavailable: what it means and how to fix it
A 503 means your server is alive but can't handle the request right now — usually overload or maintenance. Here's what's happening, how to fix it, and how to keep it from surprising your users.
504 Gateway Timeout: what it means and how to fix it
A 504 means a proxy waited for your app to respond — and gave up. It's the signature of something slow, not something dead. Here's how to find the slowness and fix it.
Rate Limiting & HTTP 429 Explained
Rate limiting is how services protect themselves from too many requests — and HTTP 429 is how they say 'slow down'. Here's how it works, and how to handle it gracefully on both sides.
404 Not Found: what it means and how to handle it
404 is the internet's most famous error — and unlike most, it's often nobody's emergency. Here's what it means, when it's fine, when it isn't, and how to handle it well.
403 Forbidden: causes and how to fix it
A 403 means the server understood you perfectly — and is refusing anyway. Here's what causes 'Forbidden', how it differs from 401, and how to track down the fix.
401 vs 403: Unauthorized vs Forbidden
401 and 403 are the two 'you can't have this' codes — and they're constantly confused. Here's the simple rule for telling them apart, with examples.
500 Internal Server Error: what it means and how to fix it
500 is the server's way of saying 'something went wrong and I don't know how to explain it.' Here's what causes it, how to find the real error, and how to stop it recurring.
301 vs 302 Redirects: which one should you use?
Both send visitors from one URL to another — but to search engines they mean very different things. Use the wrong one and you can quietly tank your SEO. Here's the difference.