Api error what does it mean

No software to install. Cancel any time. Try it Free. Intervals is web-based project management software developed by Pelago. Those are all errors, they're all plausibly errors triggered by a 'bad' request, but they're very different. Because of this, HTTP client libraries can't include any kind of useful details in thrown errors, and every API client has to write custom handling to parse each failing response and work out the possible causes and next steps for itself.

With a standard format for errors, each of the errors above could have their own unique identifier, and include standard descriptions and links to more details. Given that:. HTTP responses that return an error should include the appropriate content type in their Content-Type response header, and clients can check that header to confirm the format.

All of these fields are optional although type is highly recommended. The content types are allowed to include other data freely, as long as they don't conflict with these fields, so you can add your own error metadata here too, and include any other data you'd like. Both instance and type URIs can be either absolute or relative. Additionally, however, you discover the intended functionality — the API requires a token, and that token must be passed as part of the request in order to gain authorization.

These codes are the most common status codes that the average user will encounter, not just in terms of APIs but in terms of general internet usage. While other protocols exist and have their own system of codes, the HTTP Status Codes dominate API communication, and vendor-specific codes are likely to be derived from these ranges.

The 1XX range has two basic functionalities. The first is in the transfer of information pertaining to the protocol state of the connected devices — for instance, Switching Protocols is a status code that notes the client has requested a protocol change from the server, and that the request has been approved. The 1XX range also clarifies the state of the initial request.

The 2XX range notes a range of successes in communication, and packages several responses into specific codes. The first three status codes perfectly demonstrate this range — OK means that a GET or POST request was successful, Created confirms that a request has been fulfilled and a new resource has been created for the client, and Accepted means that the request has been accepted, and that processing has begun. The 3XX range is all about the status of the resource or endpoint.

When this type of status code is sent, it means that the server is still accepting communication, but that the point contacted is not the correct point of entry into the system. This is very useful in subdomains and when moving a resource from one server to another.

Other more useful status codes for APIs exist in this range, however. Another common code is Too many Requests , which is used for rate limiting to note a client is attempting too many requests at once, and that their traffic is being rejected. Finally the 5XX range is reserved for error codes specifically related to the server functionality. Error codes like Bad Gateway , which notes the upstream server has failed and that the current server is a gateway, further expose server functionality as a means of showing where failure is occurring.

There are less specific, general failures as well, such as Service Unavailable. With a solid understanding of HTTP Status Codes, we can start to dissect what actually makes for a good error code , and what makes for a bad error code. Quality error codes not only communicate what went wrong, but why it went wrong.

Overly opaque error codes are extremely unhelpful. You send your data, and receive the following error code — Bad Request. With no additional data, no further information, what does this actually tell you? That same response could easily be made helpful and transparent with minimal effort — but what would this entail? Moesif provides a rich set of monitoring and notification capabilities, so you can keep abreast of any HTTP status code errors automatically and gain deep insights from error status code trends.

Some are related to server-side errors and some to client-side errors, where often one can cause the other. If things are simply broken, contact the API provider. API Design , Technical. October 26, API Strategy. Alerts can do more than just let you know when errors happen. They can help you drive sales, increase customer satisfaction, and see how your newest features October 26, Developer Relations and Marketing.

API-driven companies should keep a close eye on their integration funnel to improve workflows, remove points of friction and drive Time To Hello World. October 22, Podcasts. Here are the 5 most common errors and how to solve for them: Not Found This is by far the most common error code you can get.