HTTP response

HTTP response is an important component of web communication. Its role is to give the status of the requests sent from clients. Whenever a user enters any URL or submits a form, a reply is sent back by a server. It assists in many tasks like viewing pages, getting files, and more.

What is an HTTP response?

An HTTP response is nothing but the reply from the server side when you send an HTTP request. This reply entails many components, such as- status codes, headers as well as the response body. These statuses tell the sender if the requested resources were found and are being processed or if there is any error. 

How does HTTP response work?

The working principle of the HTTP response is pretty simple. Whenever the user sends a request, the server returns an answer. As mentioned above, it may include a message body or some kind of HTTP status info. It is important to note that HTTP responses follow the HTTP protocol. Moreover, it supports many HTTP versions. Its body contains the main content that the user needs.

2xx vs. 4xx responses: difference between them

Both 2xx and 4xx are responses by the server. 2XX indicates that the resource has been found and sent to the user. These are codes indicating everything is fine.

A 4xx shows that there is an error. It indicates that there is bad coding or missing pages. This reflects error messages in the body.

Pros & Cons

HTTP responses are fast as well as easy to use. They assist in tracking replies from the server side in a clear manner.

However, they are prone to errors or failure if the servers are down.

HTTP response examples

• 200 OK—Everything worked.
  
• 404 Not Found—Page missing.
  
• 500 Internal Server Error—Something failed on the server.
  

These are pretty common in web interactions. Each response assists in storing, reading, or managing messages and content between clients as well as servers.