· Skillz · Web basics
Status Code Showdown: free game to learn HTTP status codes
200, 301, 404, 503. The server is talking. What is it saying?
What is Status Code Showdown?
A page moved, a login is missing, the server is down, a script is hammering the login page. Each request is a tiny story: match it to the HTTP status code the server would answer, faster each round.
Status Code Showdown is a free game to learn HTTP status codes, the three-digit answers every web server sends. Each round is a short situation: a page moved, a login is missing, the server is down.
Pick the code the server would answer. The clock gets faster as you go, and in Expert the wrong answers are the look-alikes: 401 or 403, 500 or 502, 301 or 302.
At a glance
- Category
- Skillz
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Play time
- 2–3 min
- Price
- Free, in your browser, sign-up optional
How to play
- Read the request
- A short situation, from a normal page load to a crash.
- Pick the code
- Tap the status code, or press 1 to 4.
- Score
- 100 per right code, plus up to 50 for speed when there's a clock.
- Three levels
- Beginner: the nine everyday codes, three choices and no clock. Expert: look-alike codes and a clock from 8 to 4 seconds. Each level keeps its own best score.
Scoring
Each right code scores 100, plus up to 50 for speed when there's a clock.
Nine or twelve requests depending on the level; the clock shrinks from 12 to 6 seconds (8 to 4 in Expert). Your best score is kept in this browser.
What it trains
- HTTP basics
- What 2xx, 3xx, 4xx and 5xx mean.
- Telling look-alikes apart
- 401 vs 403, 500 vs 502, 301 vs 302.
- Debugging instinct
- Knowing who has to act when something fails.
Strategy and tips
- Read the first digit
- 2xx worked, 3xx look elsewhere, 4xx fix your request, 5xx the server broke.
- 401 vs 403
- 401: we don't know who you are. 403: we know, and you're not allowed.
- 301 vs 302
- 301 moved for good; 302 moved for now.
- 429 means slow down
- Too many requests in a short time.
Why play Status Code Showdown?
Status codes are how websites, apps and APIs say what happened. Knowing the common ones makes errors less mysterious, whether you build websites or just use them.
Frequently asked questions
Is Status Code Showdown free?
Yes. It is free and runs in your browser, with no download. Signing up is optional.
Do I need to be a developer?
No. Each situation is described in plain words.
Why is 404 so famous?
Because broken links are the error people see most.
Can I play with a keyboard?
Yes. Press 1 to 4 to answer.