Demystifying the meaning of HTTP status codes

HTTP status code is a three-digit code used to represent the result of an HTTP request. These status codes are specified by the HTTP protocol and they play a very important role when communicating with the server. Although each status code has its own specific meaning, few people know the meaning and story behind these codes. This article will explore the language mystery behind HTTP status codes.

First, let’s take a look at one of the most common HTTP status codes: 200. The 200 status code means that the server successfully returned the requested web page. Simply put, this means everything is fine. However, did you notice the two zeros after this number? This is not just a simple number, it is made up of two zeros. These two zeros represent the HTTP protocol version. The 200 status code originated from the first official release of the HTTP/1.0 version, which was also the period when the HTTP protocol began to be widely used.

Next, let’s take a look at another common status code: 404. The 404 status code means that the resource requested by the client does not exist on the server. This usually occurs when the client entered the wrong URL or the requested resource has been removed. But why is the number 404? It turns out that the 404 status code was designed by Tim Berners-Lee in the early 1990s. At that time, he was working hard to develop the World Wide Web, and the 404 status code was a response code he set to indicate that the requested resource was not found. The number 404 was used because Tim Berners-Lee saw HTTP status codes as a tribute to the Web, with 404 being a nod to "404 Not Found", a song by the band The Not Found.

In addition to common status codes, there are also some uncommon but very interesting status codes. For example, the 418 status code is called "I'm a Teapot". This status code originated from a 1998 joke extension of the Coffee Pot Control Protocol. Although this status code has no actual purpose, it has a special place in internet culture and is considered a fun easter egg.

Another interesting status code is 503, which means the service is unavailable. There is a short story recorded on Wikipedia behind this status code. In the story, a website administrator received an error report with a 503 status code. He realized that he had forgotten to turn off the auto-reply email function during website maintenance, resulting in a 503 status code error email being replied to every user request. Although this story is not true, it illustrates a humorous take on error status codes.

HTTP status codes are not just numerical codes that represent request results, they also carry the development history of the HTTP protocol and special symbols of Internet culture. Understanding the stories and humor behind these status codes will help us gain a deeper understanding of the nature of the HTTP protocol and the unique relationship between humans and technology.

To summarize, the HTTP status code is a three-digit code used to represent the result of an HTTP request. Each status code has its own specific meaning, but few people know the meaning and story behind these codes. This article explores the language mystery behind HTTP status codes, from the two zeros in the 200 status code, the band song referenced by the 404 status code, the joke expansion of the 418 status code, to the humorous understanding of the 503 status code error email. By understanding these stories and humor, we can better understand the development history of the HTTP protocol and the special symbols of Internet culture.

The above is the detailed content of Demystifying the meaning of HTTP status codes. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!