What are status codes on websites? 5 types simply explained

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When you access a web page, your computer and the web server communicate with each other to exchange the information you want. This communication takes place via Status codeswhich indicate whether a request was successful or whether problems occurred. In this article you will learn everything you need to know about Status codes need to know.

What are status codes?

Status codes are three-digit numbers returned in response to an HTTP request from the web server. Each status code has a specific meaning and indicates how successful the request was or if there were any problems. There are a total of five categories of Status codes:

Category	Meaning
1xx	Informational
2xx	Success
3xx	Redirection
4xx	Client Error
5xx	Server Error

Within each category there are different Status codes with specific meanings. Let's now take a closer look at what the most common Status codes mean.

Frequent status codes

200 OK

The status code 200 stands for "OK" and means that the server request was successful. This means that the requested resources were found and sent to the Browser of the user is returned. This is the expected status code when a web page loads successfully.

301 Moved Permanently

The status code 301 indicates that a web page has moved permanently to another location. The Browser of the user should automatically go to the new URL be redirected. This is important to ensure that users get to the right page and that search engines index the new address.

404 Not Found

The 404 status code means that the requested resource was not found. This may mean that the URL is wrong or the page has been deleted or moved. A 404 status code is nothing to worry about as long as it occurs only once in a while and does not affect the important pages.

Conclusion

Status codes are important information about how a website and the web server communicate with each other. They give you, as a website owner and user, clues about whether everything is working properly or if there are problems. By reading the different Status codes you can better understand what is happening on your website and take possible optimization measures.

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FAQ

What is a website status code? arrow icon in accordion

Status code is a three-digit numeric response from the server to a request from a website.

What are the types of status codes? arrow icon in accordion

gives a variety of status codes, but the most important are 2xx for successful requests, 3xx for forwarding, 4xx for client errors, and 5xx for server errors.

What status codes are used for successful requests? arrow icon in accordion

For example, status code 200 represents a successful request, and the 201 status code indicates that a resource was successfully created.

What do status codes in the 300 range mean? arrow icon in accordion

in the 300 range are used to indicate forwarding. For example, code 301 stands for permanent forwarding and code 302 for temporary forwarding.

What is the meaning of status codes in the 400 range? arrow icon in accordion

in the 400 range indicate that an error has occurred on the client side. For example, the often seen error code 404 means "page not found".

What do status codes in the 500 range mean? arrow icon in accordion

in the 500 range indicate that a server error has occurred. The status code 500 stands for a general internal server error because, for example, there is a problem with the database or the server configuration.

How to check the status code of a website? arrow icon in accordion

can check the status code of a website via the developer tools tab in the web browser or also with the help of online tools.

Why is it important to monitor website status codes? arrow icon in accordion

is important to monitor the status codes in order to be able to react to errors and problems at an early stage. This can ensure the better use of the website for the users.

Are there any other status codes you should know? arrow icon in accordion

, there are some lesser known status codes like the 418 status code 'I am a teapot' which was designed as an April Fool's joke but has no actual function.

How to change the status code of a website? arrow icon in accordion

Server must be programmed accordingly and it requires expertise to change the status code. However, as a rule, the correct status codes should be used to optimize usability and search content.

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Niels Stuck

Niels Stuck has 10 years of SEO experience and is the founder of the SEO agency "WOLF OF SEO". He gained practical experience by building 20+ affiliate sites alongside his marketing studies. Finally, he wrote his bachelor thesis about the influence of SEO on Google rankings, traffic and sales development in the form of a case study. Today, he specializes in e-commerce SEO and helps more than 80 companies build a sustainable organic revenue channel through SEO. Niels advises startups, established brands and corporations in search engine optimization of their online stores and primarily focuses on data-based content strategies and link building. He shares his knowledge about SEO and online marketing in this blog, as a speaker at conferences, in podcasts and as a guest author for OMT, Forbes, Starting Up and many more platforms.

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