What Is 204 HTTP Status Code?
When you visit a website, your browser sends a request to the server that hosts the website. The server then responds with a status code that indicates whether the request was successful. The most common status codes are 200 OK, which means that the request was successful, and 404 Not Found, which means that the requested page could not be found.
The 204 HTTP status code is a bit less common than the other status codes, but it’s still important to know what it means. The 204 status code indicates that the request was successful, but that there is no content to return in the response payload body. This status code is often used when you make a POST request, since you’re typically not expecting any content in return. For example, if you submit a form on a website, you will usually receive a 204 response.
While the 204 status code might seem like an error at first, it’s actually quite normal. If you ever receive this status code, it just means that there’s no content to return for your request.
How to Check 204 HTTP Status Code
Checking the status code is a simple way to ensure that a request was processed successfully. To do so, simply check the status code of the response object. If it is equal to 204, then the request was successful and there is no content to return. Otherwise, an error has occurred, and the status code will provide more information about what went wrong.
Benefits of Using 204 Status Code
One advantage of using the 204 status code is that it can help to improve the speed of web pages, since the server does not need to send any data in response to the request. Additionally, this status code is supported by all major browsers, so clients will not experience any compatibility issues.
While the 204 status code is typically associated with successful requests, it is important to note that this code can also be used in conjunction with an error message if the server does not have any content to return. In such cases, the status code can help to indicate to the client that there was no issue with their request and that they should try again later.
When to Use 204 HTTP Response Header?
The 204 status code is typically used for POST or PUT requests that do not result in a new resource being created, or for DELETE requests where the client has asked for the resource to be deleted, but there is no need to return any content in the response body.
In all of these cases, the server has successfully fulfilled the request and there is no need to send a response body, so a 204 status code is returned instead. While this may seem like an unnecessary status code, it can actually be very useful in indicating to the user agent that their request was successful without having to wait for a response body to be returned.
The 204 status code is also used to reset a browser’s cache, eliminating any cached content that might cause errors when reloading a page. In addition to validating cache entries, the 204 response header can also be used to compress data. However, this should only be done if the server is sure that the client can handle the compressed data. If not, the server should send a 206 Partial Content header instead.
Is the HTTP 204 Code Cacheable?
The 204 no content code response is cacheable by default, and it will also contain an ETag header field. One of the main factors that determines whether or not the HTTP 204 code is cacheable is the presence of a cache header. If there is an overriding header, then the HTTP 204 status code cannot be cached. However, if the cache header is not present or does not specify anything, then the HTTP 204 code is cached. In other words, the presence or absence of a cache header can make all the difference when it comes to caching the HTTP 204 code.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, the 204 status code means that there is no content to send back, even though the request has succeeded. In the easiest words possible, think of it as a one-sided completed action. It’s a very useful status response code, and you can easily incorporate it in your own website (if you have one). Other than that, now you know what it means, regardless of when you actually see it.
We hope this article has helped you understand what the 204 HTTP status code is and how it can benefit your website. Thanks for reading!
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