404 Not Found

What 404 Not Found means {#what}

The server can’t find what you’re looking for. In a browser, this means the URL doesn’t exist. In an API, it can mean the endpoint is valid but the specific resource doesn’t exist (GET /users/99999). Servers also deliberately return 404 instead of 403 to avoid revealing that a restricted resource exists.

When you’ll see a 404 {#when}

• Broken or mistyped URL
• Resource that was deleted
• API endpoint called with a non-existent ID
• Intentional 404 to hide a 403

When to use 404 {#use}

• Use for any resource that genuinely doesn’t exist
• Use deliberately instead of 403 when you want to obscure a resource’s existence