Why Standard HTTP Status Codes Make APIs Easier to Use and Debug

HTTP status codes signal the outcome of a request, and using them consistently helps developers consume and troubleshoot APIs. The article highlights 200 OK for success and 201 Created when a new resource is made, such as after a POST to a users endpoint. Client-error codes like 400, 401, 403, 404, 409, and 429 indicate that a request was unacceptable, for instance when authentication is missing or permissions are lacking. Server-side failures are represented by codes such as 500 Internal Server Error and 503 Service Unavailable, the latter often signaling temporary downtime. The author argues that returning 200 for every response forces clients to parse custom fields, so standard codes should be treated as part of the API contract.