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Error Code Reference

Quick reference guide for HTTP status codes and common error messages

HTTP Status Codes

1xx - Informational
Code Name Description
100 Continue The client should continue with its request
101 Switching Protocols Server is switching protocols as requested by the client
2xx - Success
Code Name Description
200 OK The request was successful
201 Created A new resource was successfully created
202 Accepted The request has been accepted for processing
204 No Content The server successfully processed the request with no content to return
3xx - Redirection
Code Name Description
301 Moved Permanently The resource has been permanently moved to a new URL
302 Found The resource temporarily resides at a different URL
304 Not Modified The resource has not been modified since last requested
4xx - Client Errors
Code Name Description
400 Bad Request The server cannot process the request due to client error
401 Unauthorized Authentication is required and has failed or not been provided
403 Forbidden The server understood the request but refuses to authorize it
404 Not Found The requested resource could not be found
405 Method Not Allowed The request method is not supported for this resource
408 Request Timeout The server timed out waiting for the request
409 Conflict The request conflicts with the current state of the server
422 Unprocessable Entity The request was well-formed but contains semantic errors
429 Too Many Requests The user has sent too many requests in a given time
5xx - Server Errors
Code Name Description
500 Internal Server Error A generic error occurred on the server
501 Not Implemented The server does not support the functionality required
502 Bad Gateway The server received an invalid response from an upstream server
503 Service Unavailable The server is temporarily unable to handle the request
504 Gateway Timeout The server did not receive a timely response from an upstream server

Common Error Types

Database Errors
Error Name Description
Connection Timeout Unable to establish database connection within timeout period
Duplicate Key Attempt to insert a record with a duplicate primary key
Foreign Key Constraint Operation violates a foreign key constraint
Deadlock Two or more transactions waiting for each other to release locks
Network Errors
Error Name Description
Connection Refused Target server is not accepting connections
DNS Resolution Failed Unable to resolve hostname to IP address
Network Timeout Network operation exceeded timeout period
SSL/TLS Handshake Failed Failed to establish secure connection
Authentication Errors
Error Name Description
Invalid Credentials Username or password is incorrect
Token Expired Authentication token has expired and needs renewal
Insufficient Permissions User lacks necessary permissions for the operation
Account Locked Account has been locked due to security policy
Validation Errors
Error Name Description
Required Field Missing A required field was not provided
Invalid Format Data does not match expected format
Value Out of Range Numeric value exceeds allowed range
Invalid Type Data type does not match expected type
Quick Reference
Status Code Categories:
  • 1xx Informational
    Request received, continuing process
  • 2xx Success
    Action successfully received and accepted
  • 3xx Redirection
    Further action needed to complete request
  • 4xx Client Error
    Request contains bad syntax or cannot be fulfilled
  • 5xx Server Error
    Server failed to fulfill valid request
Most Common Codes
200 OK Success
201 Created Success
400 Bad Request Client Error
401 Unauthorized Client Error
404 Not Found Client Error
500 Server Error Server Error
Testing Tips
  • Always test error handling for 4xx and 5xx codes
  • Verify appropriate status codes are returned
  • Check error messages are user-friendly
  • Test authentication with 401 and 403
  • Simulate server errors (500, 503)
  • Verify redirects (301, 302) work correctly
API Error Best Practices

Good Error Response:

{
  "error": {
    "code": "INVALID_INPUT",
    "message": "Email is required",
    "field": "email",
    "status": 400
  }
}

Include: Error code, clear message, affected field (if applicable), HTTP status code, and optionally a documentation link.

When to Use Each Code

200: GET request successful
201: POST created new resource
204: DELETE successful, no content to return

401: Not authenticated (login required)
403: Authenticated but not authorized (permission denied)

500: Generic server error
502: Bad gateway (upstream server error)
503: Service temporarily unavailable (maintenance)
Debugging Checklist