HTTP Status Codes for a Practical API
Returning 200 for every result makes retries and client error handling unreliable. This guide gives you a small, testable way to approach the issue before changing a live system.
A practical workflow
- Use 4xx for client-side issues and 5xx for server failures, with an explicit error body.
- Test validation, missing resources, conflict and temporary failure paths.
What to check
Do not expose private implementation details merely to be descriptive. Compare the result with the original problem and record what changed. If a measurement or test does not support the change, revisit the assumption rather than adding more complexity.
Keep the experiment small enough to reverse. Document the starting state, the change and the result so another person can repeat the process. Product menus and versions can change, so check the current documentation for your environment.
Official reference: Read the documentation.