I'm developing a REST API with Node.js and Express, and I'm a bit unsure about the best way to handle error responses. I've noticed that some APIs tend to always return HTTP 200 OK and just format the error message in the JSON body, like so:
{
"success": false,
"message": "Invalid input"
}
On the other hand, other APIs properly return status codes like 400, 401, 403, 404, etc. This has me questioning whether it's a bad practice to send a 200 OK response for both successful and erroneous cases. What do you all think? Should I structure my responses like:
res.status(200).json({ success: false, message: "Invalid input" });
or like this:
res.status(400).json({ message: "Bad request" });
I'm aiming for a clean API design so clients can easily handle responses without confusion. What have you found to be the standard practice in the community?
5 Answers
Using HTTP correctly promotes better practices. Even if APIs do operate with 200 status codes, it becomes a hassle for clients to handle errors. Always strive to use the correct status codes for clarity in communication between the server and clients. If you're providing a public API, the recommended approach is to stick to the norms of error handling.
Definitely a bad idea! People will curse your name if you send errors with a 200 status. When you're using error checking logic, you expect specific codes to handle errors appropriately. Just stick to the standards—it makes life easier for everyone.
Right? I’ve seen established companies mess this up, and it just makes integration a nightmare.
Yeah, it's considered bad practice to always return HTTP 200. You should use the proper status codes for errors to prevent confusion and make it easier for developers to handle responses. If you just return 200 for everything, people integrating your API will have a tough time debugging issues.
Exactly! Return specific codes like 400 for bad requests; it saves headaches later.
Honestly, using correct HTTP codes is more about adhering to standards that help everyone involved. You want to avoid creating confusion, and using proper codes ensures monitoring tools work effectively. It’s just better practice overall!
In my opinion, returning HTTP 200 for errors is just wrong. If your request fails, respond with an appropriate error code like 400. Also, you should provide detailed error messages to aid in debugging. Something like `res.status(400).json({ message: "The input XXX is invalid, should be bla bla bla" });` is ideal.
Absolutely! It makes everything much easier for developers working with your API.