Error codes for machine consumption in Rest API - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the main purpose of error codes in machine consumption?

Error codes help machines understand what went wrong in a request so they can handle errors properly without human intervention.

beginner

What HTTP status code usually means 'Resource not found'?

The HTTP status code 404 means 'Resource not found'. It tells the machine the requested data does not exist.

intermediate

Why should error codes be standardized in APIs for machine consumption?

Standardized error codes make it easier for machines to predict and handle errors consistently across different APIs.

intermediate

What is the difference between HTTP status codes and error codes in the response body?

HTTP status codes give a general error type, while error codes in the response body provide detailed info for machines to understand the exact problem.

beginner

Give an example of a machine-readable error code format.

A common format is JSON with fields like {"error_code": "INVALID_INPUT", "message": "Input value is not valid"}. This helps machines parse and react to errors.

Which HTTP status code indicates a successful request?

A 500

B 200

C 404

D 401

200 means OK, the request succeeded.

What does a 500 HTTP status code mean?

A Server error

B Client error

C Resource not found

D Unauthorized

500 means there was an internal server error.

Why include error codes in the response body besides HTTP status codes?

A To provide detailed error info for machines

B To confuse the client

C To slow down the response

D To hide the error

Detailed error codes help machines understand the exact problem.

Which format is best for machine-readable error codes?

A Plain text

B XML

C HTML

D JSON

JSON is widely used and easy for machines to parse.

What does a 401 HTTP status code indicate?

A Not found

B Bad request

C Unauthorized access

D Success

401 means the client is not authorized to access the resource.

Explain why error codes are important for machines when consuming APIs.

Think about how a machine knows what went wrong without a human reading messages.

Describe the difference between HTTP status codes and error codes in the response body.

One is like a quick summary, the other is like a detailed explanation.