API: which HTTP code should I use?

Hello,

Here’s a situation I have a hard time sorting out. What code should you use when you receive a valid HTTP request but you can’t process it because, say, a required parameter is missing? I would say a 200 (the HTTP request itself was well-formed and went fine) which returns an error message.

I guess it’s more complicated than that.

I know that Github returns either a 400 or a 422, but that’s if the request itself had a problem, right? http://developer.github.com/v3/

Regards.

-jj.

I believe by your description, 400 would be the correct header. A missing, required parameter is bad syntax.

400 Bad Request
The request cannot be fulfilled due to bad syntax.

However, 422 could also be used.

422 Unprocessable Entity
The request was well-formed but was unable to be followed due to semantic errors.

:tup:
Thanks :slight_smile:

What if there is an error, say, with the database? Which code should it be?

500 Internal Server Error