What is an HTTP status code?
An HTTP status code is a three-digit number a web server sends with every response to say whether the request worked, moved or failed.
Every time a browser asks a server for a page, the server answers with a three-digit status code. Most of the time you never see it, because the code is 200, which means everything worked. The first digit tells you the group: 1xx is informational, 2xx means success, 3xx means the page moved, 4xx means a problem with the request (such as a missing page), and 5xx means the server itself had a problem.
Why it matters for your business: Status codes are the quickest clue to what went wrong. A 4xx usually points to a link or address, while a 5xx points to the website's server or hosting.
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