HTTP status codes, explained for link checking

The codes a link checker actually shows you, what each means for the link on your page, and what to do about it. Definitions follow RFC 9110; search behaviour follows Google’s own documentation.

Code	Name	What it means for a link
200	OK	A link to a URL answering 200 is healthy.
204	No Content	Fine for API endpoints and tracking pixels, odd for a page people click to.
301	Moved Permanently	The link still works, but every visit costs an extra round-trip.
302	Found (temporary redirect)	Works for visitors; search engines may keep the old URL indexed.
304	Not Modified	Only appears for conditional requests from caches and browsers; a link checker normally will not see it.
307	Temporary Redirect	Works; browsers also show a 307 internally when HSTS upgrades HTTP to HTTPS.
308	Permanent Redirect	Works; update your own links to the target.
400	Bad Request	The link is broken as written, often because the URL itself is malformed.
401	Unauthorized	Broken for anyone without an account; fine for members-only links.
403	Forbidden	Often a false alarm in link checkers: many sites block automated requests with 403 while working fine in a browser.
404	Not Found	A broken link: the classic dead link.
410	Gone	A broken link; remove or replace it.
429	Too Many Requests	Usually a false alarm: the site throttled the checker, not your readers.
500	Internal Server Error	Broken for now; may be temporary.
502	Bad Gateway	Broken for now; usually temporary.
503	Service Unavailable	Temporarily broken.
504	Gateway Timeout	Broken for now; the target is slow or down.

Check real URLs with the bulk HTTP status checker.

Questions people ask

How do I read an HTTP status code?

Look at the first digit. 1xx is informational, 2xx success, 3xx redirection, 4xx client error and 5xx server error. The other two digits name the exact case, such as 404 Not Found or 301 Moved Permanently.

Which status codes matter most for SEO?

200 for live pages, 301/308 for permanent moves, 404/410 for removed pages and 503 for short planned downtime. Google documents how it handles each in its “How HTTP status codes affect Google Search” guide.

Where do HTTP status codes come from?

They are defined by the IETF in RFC 9110 (HTTP Semantics, 2022), with 429 defined in RFC 6585. The IANA keeps the official registry.

HTTP status codes, explained for link checking

Questions people ask

More link tools on this bench