4xx · Client errorterminal

418I'm a teapot

The server refuses the attempt to brew coffee with a teapot. An Easter egg code defined by an April Fools' joke in 1998 (RFC 2324).

What this code obliges you to do

Retry

Do not retry automatically

Repeating the same request produces the same result. A retry loop here just multiplies load and hides the real fault.

Caching

Not cacheable by default

Caches will not store this response unless you send explicit freshness headers saying they may.

Response body

Body allowed

You may return a payload explaining the outcome — for an error, a machine-readable problem document is worth the effort.

Fun engineering easter eggs

Blockers using 418 for undetected scrapers

Undefined behavior. Do not use in production SEO.

Node.js

res.status(418).send('Short and stout');

The server cannot process the request because the client sent invalid syntax, malformed JSON, missing fields, or headers the endpoint cannot accept.

Class4xx

RetryNo

CacheNo

BodyAllowed