Status codes reading in Postman - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding HTTP 404 Status Code

What does the HTTP status code 404 indicate when received in a response?

A The requested resource was not found on the server.

B The client is not authorized to access the requested resource.

C The server encountered an internal error and could not complete the request.

D The request was successful and the server returned the requested data.

💡 Hint

Think about what happens when you try to visit a webpage that does not exist.

The 404 status code means the server could not find the requested resource. It is a common response when a URL is incorrect or the resource has been removed.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Interpreting a 201 Created Response

In Postman, you send a POST request to create a new user. The server responds with status code 201. What does this status code mean?

A The server could not process the request due to a syntax error.

B The server refused the request due to invalid credentials.

C The server is redirecting the client to a different URL.

D The server successfully created the resource as requested.

💡 Hint

201 is a success code related to resource creation.

Status code 201 means the request was successful and a new resource was created on the server.

❓ assertion

advanced

Validating Response Status in Postman Tests

Which Postman test script correctly asserts that the response status code is 200?

Postman

pm.test('Status code is 200', function () {
    pm.response.to.have.status(200);
});

A pm.test.status(200);

B pm.response.status(200);

C pm.response.to.have.status(200);

D pm.response.assertStatus(200);

💡 Hint

Look for the correct Postman assertion syntax for status codes.

The correct way to assert status code 200 in Postman is using pm.response.to.have.status(200);. Other options are invalid methods.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Identifying the Cause of a 500 Internal Server Error

You receive a 500 status code in Postman after sending a GET request. What is the most likely cause?

A The requested resource was not found on the server.

B There is a problem on the server preventing it from fulfilling the request.

C The client sent a malformed request that the server could not understand.

D The client is not authorized to access the resource.

💡 Hint

500 errors are server-side problems.

A 500 Internal Server Error means the server encountered an unexpected condition that prevented it from fulfilling the request.

❓ framework

expert

Choosing the Correct Status Code for Unauthorized Access

In a REST API tested with Postman, which HTTP status code should be returned when a user tries to access a resource without valid authentication?

A 401 Unauthorized

B 403 Forbidden

C 404 Not Found

D 400 Bad Request

💡 Hint

Consider the difference between authentication and authorization errors.

401 Unauthorized means the user is not authenticated. 403 Forbidden means authenticated but not allowed. 404 means resource missing. 400 means bad request syntax.

Practice

1. What does the status code 200 usually mean in Postman response testing?

easy

A. The request was successful and the server returned the expected data.

B. The requested resource was not found on the server.

C. The server encountered an internal error.

D. The client is not authorized to access the resource.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand HTTP status codes

   Status code 200 means OK, indicating success in HTTP responses.

2. Step 2: Interpret 200 in Postman context

   In Postman, a 200 status means the request succeeded and data was returned.

3. Final Answer:

   The request was successful and the server returned the expected data. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Status code 200 = Success [OK]

Hint: 200 means success, like a green light [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 200 with error codes like 404 or 500
• Thinking 200 means unauthorized access
• Assuming 200 means no data returned

2. Which of the following is the correct way to check for a 404 status code in a Postman test script?

easy

A. pm.test('Status is 404', () => pm.response.code === 404);"

B. pm.test('Status is 404', () => pm.response.code == 404);

C. pm.test('Status is 404', () => pm.response.code === 404);

D. pm.test('Status is 404', () => pm.response.code = 404);

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Postman test syntax

   Postman tests use pm.test with a callback function containing an assertion.

2. Step 2: Use correct assertion method

   While pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.eql(404) is preferred, the direct comparison requires strict ===, proper arrow function syntax, and no extra characters or assignment operators.

3. Final Answer:

   pm.test('Status is 404', () => pm.response.code === 404); -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use triple equals and arrow function in pm.test [OK]

Hint: Use arrow function and triple equals for status check [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using single equals (=) instead of comparison
• Missing arrow function syntax
• Using double quotes inconsistently

3. Given this Postman test script:

pm.test('Check status', () => {
  pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.be.oneOf([200, 201]);
});

What will happen if the response status code is 201?

medium

A. The test will fail because 201 is not in the list.

B. The test will be skipped automatically.

C. The test will throw a syntax error.

D. The test will pass because 201 is included in the allowed codes.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the oneOf assertion

   pm.expect(...).to.be.oneOf([200, 201]) passes if the response code matches any value in the array.

2. Step 2: Check if 201 is in the array

   201 is included in [200, 201], so the assertion passes.

3. Final Answer:

   The test will pass because 201 is included in the allowed codes. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   201 in [200, 201] = pass [OK]

Hint: oneOf passes if code matches any listed status [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking 201 is not allowed
• Confusing oneOf with equals
• Assuming syntax error from array

4. You wrote this Postman test:

pm.test('Status is 200', () => {
  pm.expect(pm.response.code = 200);
});

Why does this test always pass even if the response code is not 200?

medium

A. Because the single equals sign assigns 200 instead of comparing, so assertion is always true.

B. Because pm.response.code is read-only and cannot be changed.

C. Because Postman ignores the test function if syntax is wrong.

D. Because the test is missing a semicolon.

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the use of single equals in assertion

   The code uses pm.response.code = 200, which is assignment, not comparison.

2. Step 2: Understand effect of assignment in assertion

   Assignment returns 200 (truthy), so pm.expect always receives a truthy value, making the test pass regardless of actual status.

3. Final Answer:

   Because the single equals sign assigns 200 instead of comparing, so assertion is always true. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use '===' for comparison, not '=' [OK]

Hint: Use triple equals (===) for comparison, not single equals (=) [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing assignment (=) with comparison (===)
• Ignoring that assignment returns a truthy value
• Assuming syntax error instead of logic error

5. You want to write a Postman test that passes only if the response status code is between 200 and 299 inclusive. Which code snippet correctly implements this?

hard

A. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.equal(2));

B. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.be.within(200, 299));

C. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code >= 200 && pm.response.code <= 299));

D. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.be.oneOf([200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205]));

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the correct assertion for range check

   pm.expect(...).to.be.within(min, max) checks if value is between min and max inclusive.

2. Step 2: Evaluate each option

   pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.be.within(200, 299)); uses .within(200, 299) correctly. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.be.oneOf([200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205])); lists only some codes, incomplete for full 2xx range. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code >= 200 && pm.response.code <= 299)); uses invalid syntax inside pm.expect. pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.equal(2)); checks for exact 2, which is wrong.

3. Final Answer:

   pm.test('Status is 2xx', () => pm.expect(pm.response.code).to.be.within(200, 299)); -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use .within(200, 299) for range checks [OK]

Hint: Use .within(200, 299) to check 2xx status codes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Listing all codes instead of using range
• Using invalid boolean inside pm.expect
• Checking for exact number 2 instead of range