HTTP Status Code

An HTTP status code is a three-digit number a server returns to describe the outcome of an HTTP request. A 200 response generally indicates success, a 301 signals a permanent redirect, a 404 means the requested resource was not found, and a 500 indicates a server-side problem. These responses help browsers, search engines, and diagnostic tools understand what happened. A landscaping site might display a friendly custom error page while still needing to return the correct 404 status. The message visible to a visitor and the status code sent by the server are related but not identical. Reviewing status codes can help diagnose broken links, migration mistakes, and reliability issues.