Why this matters
Every web developer encounters HTTP status codes daily, yet memorizing more than a handful — 200, 301, 404, 500 — is impractical. When you see a 429 in a server log or need to return the correct status for a newly created resource, reaching for the right code quickly matters. Returning 200 when you should return 201, or 403 when you should return 401, creates subtle bugs that confuse clients and break API contracts.
The official HTTP specification defines dozens of status codes across five classes, and the ecosystem has added a few more through RFCs. Codes like 451 (Unavailable For Legal Reasons) and 418 (I'm a Teapot) have specific, well-defined semantics. Using the wrong code is not just a cosmetic issue — API clients, load balancers, and monitoring tools make decisions based on status code classes, and an incorrect code can trigger the wrong automated response.
A searchable, clickable reference eliminates the friction of googling or scrolling through RFC documents. You can filter by code number, name, or description, and copy the standard 'CODE Name' format to your clipboard with a single click. This is especially useful during code reviews, debugging sessions, and API design discussions where you need to cite the correct code quickly.
Status code classes covered
| Class | Range | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1xx | 100-199 | Informational | 100 Continue |
| 2xx | 200-299 | Success | 201 Created |
| 3xx | 300-399 | Redirection | 301 Moved Permanently |
| 4xx | 400-499 | Client Error | 429 Too Many Requests |
| 5xx | 500-599 | Server Error | 502 Bad Gateway |
How to use it
Type in the search box to filter codes by number, official name, or description. All matching is case-insensitive.
Browse the grouped sections to scan all codes within a class (1xx through 5xx).
Click any row to copy the standard format — for example, '404 Not Found' — to your clipboard.
A toast notification confirms the copy so you know the action succeeded without switching windows.
Testing your result
Type '404' in the search box and confirm that '404 Not Found' appears at the top of the filtered results. Then type 'gateway' and verify that both 502 Bad Gateway and 504 Gateway Timeout appear. Click the 502 row and paste into a text editor to confirm the clipboard contains '502 Bad Gateway' exactly.
Test partial matching by typing 'teap' and confirming that 418 I'm a Teapot appears. Type 'legal' and confirm 451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons shows up. Then clear the search and scroll through each class section to verify the codes are grouped correctly and that the descriptions are accurate against the RFC specifications.
Common mistakes
Returning 200 OK for a resource creation when 201 Created is the semantically correct response.
Confusing 401 Unauthorized (authentication required) with 403 Forbidden (authenticated but not permitted).
Using 500 Internal Server Error for client-side validation failures that should return 400 Bad Request.
Forgetting that 301 and 302 have different expectations for whether the client should change the HTTP method on the redirect.
Edge cases and options
The reference includes 418 I'm a Teapot from RFC 2324, which is a deliberate April Fools joke that was nevertheless standardized. While you should never return 418 in production, it appears in the table because developers encounter it in the wild and need to know what it means. Similarly, 451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons from RFC 7725 is a legitimate code used by platforms that must block content for legal compliance.
Non-standard codes from specific platforms — such as Cloudflare's 520-series errors — are not included because they are vendor-specific rather than part of the HTTP specification. The table focuses on codes defined in RFCs that any client or server implementation should recognize. If you need platform-specific codes, consult that platform's documentation directly.
Real-world use cases
A backend developer designing a REST API who needs to select the correct status code for each endpoint — 201 for POST, 204 for DELETE, 409 for conflicts.
A DevOps engineer debugging a reverse proxy issue who sees 502 in the logs and needs to quickly confirm what it means and how it differs from 503 or 504.
A technical writer documenting API responses who needs to copy the standard code-name format for every endpoint in the reference table.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How many status codes are included in the reference?
A: Over 60 codes spanning all five classes — 1xx Informational through 5xx Server Error. This includes common codes like 200, 301, 404, 429, and 500, as well as lesser-known ones like 418, 451, and 511.
Q: What information does each row display?
A: Each row shows the numeric code, the official standard name (for example, 'Not Found'), and a short description explaining when a server sends that code. Clicking the row copies the code and name to your clipboard.
Q: How does the search filtering work?
A: The search matches against the code number, the official name, and the description — all case-insensitive. Type 'gateway' to find 502 and 504, or type a specific code number to jump directly to that entry.
Q: Are unofficial or vendor-specific codes included?
A: The table includes RFC-standardized codes only. The 418 I'm a Teapot (RFC 2324) and 451 Unavailable For Legal Reasons (RFC 7725) are included because they are formal RFCs. Cloudflare 520-series and similar vendor codes are not.
Q: Is the status code data fetched from a server?
A: No. The entire status code table is bundled with the page, so there are no network requests when you search, browse, or copy. It works offline and loads instantly.
Start using it now
Try the HTTP Status Codes Reference tool. See also JSON Formatter, URL Encode / Decode, and JWT Decoder.
