Problem Details (RFC 7807) format in Rest API - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the purpose of the Problem Details (RFC 7807) format in REST APIs?

It provides a standardized way to return machine-readable error details in HTTP responses, making it easier for clients to understand and handle errors.

beginner

Name the five standard fields defined in the Problem Details (RFC 7807) format.

The five standard fields are: type, title, status, detail, and instance.

beginner

What does the type field represent in the Problem Details format?

It is a URI reference that identifies the problem type. It helps clients understand the kind of error without reading the full message.

beginner

How should the status field be used in the Problem Details response?

It should contain the HTTP status code generated by the server for this error, such as 404 or 500.

intermediate

Can you add custom fields to the Problem Details (RFC 7807) JSON response? If yes, how?

Yes, you can add custom fields alongside the standard ones to provide extra information specific to your API or error scenario.

Which field in RFC 7807 contains a short, human-readable summary of the problem?

A type

B instance

C detail

D title

The title field provides a short, human-readable summary of the problem.

What HTTP status code should be included in the status field?

A The HTTP status code of the error response

B Any random number

C Always 200

D The client IP address

The status field must contain the HTTP status code that the server returned for the error.

Is the instance field optional or required in the Problem Details format?

A Required

B Deprecated

C Optional

D Must be empty

The instance field is optional and can provide a URI reference that identifies the specific occurrence of the problem.

What content type should be used when sending a Problem Details response?

A application/problem+json

B text/html

C application/json

D text/plain

The official media type for Problem Details JSON responses is application/problem+json.

Can the type field be a blank string?

A Yes, it can be blank

B No, it must be a valid URI or omitted

C It must be a number

D It must be the HTTP status code

The type field should be a URI identifying the problem type or omitted if unknown; it should not be blank.

Explain the purpose and main fields of the Problem Details (RFC 7807) format.

Think about how APIs tell clients what went wrong in a clear way.

Describe how you would implement a Problem Details response for a 404 Not Found error.

Imagine your API tells a client that a resource is missing.