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HTTP Status Code Reference and Lookup

Every HTTP status code 1xx to 5xx with meaning, when-to-use and RFC, search by code or keyword, browser-only

  • Runs locally
  • Category Developer & DevOps
  • Best for Formatting, validating, shrinking, or inspecting code-adjacent text.
36 of 36 codes

What this tool does

A complete, searchable reference for every standard HTTP status code from 100 to 599. Each code carries its official name, a plain-language meaning, concrete guidance on when you should actually send or expect it, and the RFC that defines it. Type a number like 404 to jump straight to the answer, or search a phrase like "rate limit", "redirect" or "not found" to find the right code by intent. Codes are grouped into informational, success, redirection, client error and server error, with collapsible sections so you can scan one band at a time. Click any row to expand the full detail, and copy a code with one click. Built for developers debugging an API response, writing a route handler, or settling the eternal 401 vs 403 and 301 vs 302 questions. Everything runs in your browser with no upload and no tracking, and the search term plus the open code round-trip through the URL so a shared link reopens exactly what you were reading.

Tool details

Input
Files + Numbers
The page exposes text boxes, numeric controls, file pickers, or structured inputs depending on the tool.
Output
Live result + Copy + Download
The result area focuses on usable output, with copy, download, or preview actions when supported.
Privacy
Browser-side processing
The main tool logic does not call an external API, so inputs normally stay in the current tab.
Save / share
Shareable URL state
Key settings are encoded in the URL so another person can reopen the same setup.
Performance budget
Initial JS <= 12 KB
No WASM budget is declared, keeping the tool quick to open on mobile.
Best fit
Developer & DevOps · Developer
Category and role tags drive related tools, internal links, and quick fit checks.

How to use

  1. 1. Input

    Paste or drop your content into the tool panel.

  2. 2. Process

    Click the button. All processing is local in your browser.

  3. 3. Copy / Download

    Copy the result or download to disk in one click.

How HTTP Status Code Reference fits into your work

Use it in the small gaps between coding, reviewing, debugging, and shipping.

Developer jobs

  • Formatting, validating, shrinking, or inspecting code-adjacent text.
  • Preparing snippets for documentation, tickets, commits, or handoff.
  • Checking a small payload quickly without switching tools.

Developer checks

  • Run irreversible transforms like minify or obfuscate on a copy.
  • Keep secrets out of pasted snippets unless the tool explicitly stays local.
  • Use your normal tests or linter before shipping transformed code.

Good next steps

These links move the current task into a more complete workflow.

  1. 1 Unit Converter Convert between length, weight, temperature, area, volume, speed, time — instant, browser-only Open
  2. 2 Number Base Converter Number base converter — binary, octal, decimal, hex, and any base 2-36. Bitwise too. Open
  3. 3 MIME Type Lookup File extension ⇄ MIME type lookup — 130+ types, both directions, copy the exact Content-Type — browser-only Open

Real-world use cases

  • Debug an unexpected API response

    Your fetch call comes back with a number you half-remember. Paste 422 into the search box and you immediately see Unprocessable Content, read that the JSON parsed fine but a field failed business validation, and stop hunting for a syntax error that was never there. The when-to-use note points you at the real cause faster than scrolling a spec page.

  • Pick the right code while writing a route handler

    You are returning from a POST that just created a record and pause over 200 versus 201. The reference reminds you 201 Created is correct, tells you to put the new URL in the Location header, and you ship a handler that behaves the way every REST client expects instead of a generic 200.

  • Settle a redirect or auth argument in review

    A teammate ships a 302 for a permanent http-to-https move. Open the tool, search "redirect", and the 301 versus 302 distinction is right there with the SEO consequence spelled out. Same for the 401 versus 403 debate that comes up in every auth pull request.

  • Learn the status code map as a junior dev

    New to backend work and unsure what each band means? Browse the collapsible groups top to bottom: 1xx informational, 2xx success, 3xx redirection, 4xx your fault, 5xx the server's fault. Each row has a one-line summary so you build a mental model in a single sitting without reading the whole RFC.

Common pitfalls

  • Returning 200 for an error so the body can carry a custom error object. Clients, proxies and monitoring all trust the status line, so a 200 with an error payload hides failures from retries, alerts and caches. Use a real 4xx or 5xx and put detail in the body.

  • Confusing 401 and 403. 401 means not authenticated, so send a WWW-Authenticate header and let the client log in. 403 means authenticated but not allowed, where re-login changes nothing. Swapping them sends users into a useless login loop.

  • Using 302 for a permanent move. Search engines treat 302 as temporary and keep the old URL ranked, so an http-to-https or domain migration done with 302 strands your SEO. Use 301 (or 308 when the method must be preserved) for anything permanent.

Privacy

This reference is a static dataset baked into the page; there is no API call and nothing about your search ever leaves the browser. The one thing to know is that the search term and the open code are written into the URL query string so a shared link reopens the same view. That is harmless for status-code lookups, but it means a pasted link records what you searched in the recipient server's access log.

FAQ

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Made by Toolora · 100% client-side · Updated 2026-05-29