Understanding REST API Response Status Codes
When building or consuming RESTful APIs, understanding HTTP response status codes is essential. These codes tell the client whether a request was successful, failed, or needs additional action. In this guide, we break down the most commonly used status codes in REST APIs with simple explanations and real-world usage examples. ⭐ What Are HTTP Status Codes? HTTP status codes are standardized responses sent by a server when processing an API request. They are grouped into five categories: 1xx – Informational 2xx – Successful 3xx – Redirection 4xx – Client Errors 5xx – Server Errors For REST APIs, the 2xx , 4xx , and 5xx groups are most important. ✅ 1. Success Status Codes (2xx) These indicate that the request was successfully received and processed. 200 OK The most common success response. Used when a request is successful and returns data. Example: Returning a list of products from /api/products . 201 Created Used when a new resource is created suc...