HTTP status codes consist of three-digit numbers that convey information about a web page’s status to web browsers. You might encounter these errors while browsing the internet or even within your own hosting account.
Below, I’ve provided a concise guide to help you understand the most common error codes along with recommendations for resolving them:
- 400 — Bad Request: The web server encounters difficulty parsing a malformed script. Typically, programming issues trigger this problem. I recommend reaching out to your developer or software provider for assistance in resolving this issue.
- 401 — Authentication Required: When accessing this page, users must provide a username and password. If you attempt to access it without proper credentials, you’ll encounter a “401 — Authentication Required” message.
- 403 — Forbidden: Forbidden errors occur when someone tries to access a directory, file, or script without the appropriate permissions. For instance, if a script is readable only by the user and others cannot access the file, a 403 error will be displayed. Additionally, invalid index files and empty directories can also lead to 403 errors. Depending on your hosting account type (cPanel / Plesk), you can find more information in relevant articles.
- 404 — Not Found: Visitors receive a 404 error when they access URLs that do not exist. The cause could range from invalid URLs to missing files or redirects to URLs that are no longer available.
- 500 — Internal Server Error: This is a broad error indicating a problem with the website display, but specific details are not immediately accessible. In Linux hosting accounts, invalid .htaccess files or rules within them often cause 500 errors. For Windows hosting, it’s typically due to invalid requests through a web.config file.