Website & Technical4 min read
How to Check HTTP Status Codes for Free
Every web address answers with a three-digit number before it sends anything else. Here is what those numbers mean and how to see the one your page returns.
KLYRO TeamPublished
When a browser asks for a page, the server answers with a three-digit number before it sends any content. 200 means it worked. 404 means the page is not there. 301 means it has moved somewhere else.
You usually never see that number, because the browser turns it into either a page or an error screen. When you need to know exactly what a URL is doing, the status code is the first thing to look at.
What a status code is
A status code is the server's one-line summary of what happened to your request. It is grouped by its first digit, and that digit tells you most of what you need.
There are dozens of codes, but a handful cover almost everything you will meet on a normal website.
| Code | Name | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 200 | OK | The page was found and returned. This is what you want. |
| 301 | Moved Permanently | The page now lives at a different address, for good. Search engines pass the old page's standing to the new one. |
| 302 | Found | A temporary move. Use this only when the move really is temporary. |
| 403 | Forbidden | The server understood the request and refused it. Often a permissions or firewall rule. |
| 404 | Not Found | Nothing exists at that address. Common after a page is deleted or renamed. |
| 410 | Gone | Deliberately removed and not coming back. Clearer than a 404 when you mean it. |
| 500 | Internal Server Error | Your application crashed. This is a bug, not a configuration choice. |
| 503 | Service Unavailable | The server is up but cannot serve right now. Maintenance, or overload. |
How to check a status code
Paste the exact address
Use the full URL you care about, including the path.
example.comandexample.com/pricingcan return completely different codes.Run the check
Klyro requests the address from its own server, follows redirects, and reports what came back at the end of the chain.
Compare the final URL with what you typed
If they differ, the address redirected. That is not a problem in itself, but it is worth knowing about.
Which values matter
- The code itself. Anything that is not
200on a page you expect to work needs an explanation. - The final URL. A page that quietly redirects to the homepage looks like a working link and is not one. This is a common way for a deleted page to hide.
- Response time. A slow first response is felt by every visitor, and it is measured before any images or scripts are involved.
- Content type. An HTML page should say
text/html. A page that returnsapplication/jsonor a download type is not going to render.
Common mistakes
- Using
302for a permanent move. The old address keeps its standing and the new one never inherits it. - Checking the domain when you meant to check a page. Redirect rules are often set at the domain level and mask what individual pages do.
- Assuming a page is broken because your browser shows an error. Browsers cache aggressively; a fresh request from elsewhere tells you what is really happening.
- Ignoring a
403on a page that should be public. It usually means a security rule is catching legitimate traffic as well.
Questions
- What is the difference between 301 and 302?
301says the move is permanent, so search engines update their records and pass the old page's standing to the new address.302says it is temporary, so they keep the old address. Use301unless the move really will be reversed.- Why does the checker show a different URL from the one I entered?
- Because the address redirected. The checker follows the chain and reports where it ended up. If you want to see each step, use the Redirect Checker instead.
- Does a 404 hurt my search ranking?
- A
404on a page that was never important is normal and harmless. A404on a page that other sites link to is a lost link, and that is worth redirecting to the closest replacement.