REST API troubleshooting is one of the most critical skills for developers and DevOps teams managing modern applications. When an API call fails, the ripple effect can cascade across microservices, halt user-facing features, and trigger downtime that costs both revenue and trust. Knowing how to quickly identify whether the problem lies in the request, the server, or the network separates a brief hiccup from a prolonged outage.
This guide covers the full spectrum of REST API errors you are likely to encounter, from client-side 4xx errors to server-side 5xx failures, along with networking issues, CORS problems, and scalability bottlenecks. For each error, you will find the root causes, symptoms, and step-by-step troubleshooting instructions to get your APIs back on track.
REST API troubleshooting overview
REST API troubleshooting is the systematic process of identifying, diagnosing, and resolving problems that prevent an API from returning the expected response. It spans the entire API request lifecycle, from the moment a client sends a request to the point a response is delivered. The key areas to examine include:
Request analysis: Inspecting the HTTP request method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH), headers, query parameters, and payload to ensure they align with the API's specifications.
Response evaluation: Analyzing the HTTP status codes, response headers, and body to identify errors or anomalies.
Network diagnostics: Checking for connectivity issues, latency, DNS resolution failures, or timeouts that may affect API performance.
Packet analysis: Capturing and inspecting network traffic to detect anomalies, dropped packets, or unexpected responses at the transport layer.
Authentication and authorization: Verifying that API keys, tokens (JWT, OAuth 2.0), or credentials are valid, unexpired, and correctly scoped.
Server-side logs: Reviewing server logs for errors, exceptions, or performance bottlenecks that may not be reflected in the API response.
Rate limiting and throttling: Ensuring the API is not exceeding usage limits imposed by the server, which can trigger 429 Too Many Requests errors.
Third-party dependencies: Investigating issues related to external services, databases, or APIs that your application relies on.
Database performance: Checking database connections, query execution times, and data integrity to verify that the API is retrieving and storing data correctly.
Why prompt troubleshooting matters
When REST API errors occur, resolving them quickly is essential. Delays in troubleshooting can lead to cascading failures that impact user experience, business operations, and revenue. Here is why swift action matters:
Prevent cascading failures: In microservices architectures, a single API failure can bring dependent services to a halt. Quick troubleshooting minimizes disruption and prevents costly downtime.
Protect data integrity: API errors related to database operations can cause incomplete transactions or data corruption. Fast response helps prevent irreversible data loss.
Maintain user experience: Slow responses, failed transactions, or broken features drive users away. Prompt resolution preserves trust in your service.
Close security gaps: API failures can expose vulnerabilities such as unauthorized data access or information leaks. Quick troubleshooting helps detect and fix security issues before they are exploited.
Control resource costs: Certain errors can lead to runaway resource consumption through excessive database queries or infinite retry loops. Fast diagnosis restores normal operations before infrastructure costs spiral.
Meet SLA obligations: Many organizations have contractual agreements guaranteeing API uptime and performance levels. Prompt troubleshooting helps maintain compliance and avoid penalties.
REST API troubleshooting checklist
Before diving into specific error codes, use this systematic checklist to narrow down the problem quickly. Work through each step in order, and stop when you identify the issue:
Verify the endpoint URL: Confirm the URL is correct, including the protocol (HTTPS), domain, path, and any trailing slashes. Typos in URLs are one of the most common causes of 404 errors.
Check the HTTP method: Ensure you are using the correct method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) for the endpoint. Using the wrong method often returns a 405 Method Not Allowed error.
Inspect request headers: Verify that Content-Type, Accept, Authorization, and any custom headers match the API's requirements.
Validate the request body: If sending JSON or XML, ensure the payload is well-formed, all required fields are present, and data types are correct.
Confirm authentication credentials: Check that your API key, token, or credentials are valid, unexpired, and have the required permissions for the resource.
Review the response status code: The HTTP status code is your first clue. Use the detailed error code guide below to diagnose the specific issue.
Examine the response body: Many APIs return detailed error messages or error codes in the response body that explain exactly what went wrong.
Check server and application logs: If you have access to the server, review logs for stack traces, unhandled exceptions, or failed database queries.
Test network connectivity: Use tools like ping, traceroute, or curl to verify that the API server is reachable and responding.
Test with a minimal request: Strip the request down to its simplest form and gradually add complexity to isolate which parameter or header triggers the error.
Tools for REST API troubleshooting
Having the right tools at your disposal can drastically reduce the time it takes to identify and resolve API issues. Here are the most effective tools for REST API troubleshooting:
Postman
Postman is a widely used API testing tool with a user-friendly interface that lets you send requests and analyze responses. Here is how it can help in troubleshooting:
Send GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH, and other API requests with customizable parameters, headers, and payloads.
Analyze detailed responses including status codes, response headers, and body content in formatted views.
Create and run test suites to validate API responses automatically across multiple endpoints.
Use the built-in console to log request and response details, which helps trace authentication failures, missing parameters, and response errors.
cURL
cURL is a command-line tool used to make API requests and test endpoints. It is lightweight, fast, and ideal for quick debugging without the need for a graphical interface. Use it to:
Verify connectivity by invoking API endpoints directly from the terminal with full control over headers and payloads.
Debug access-related issues by testing different authentication methods like API keys, OAuth tokens, and basic authentication.
Test different content types (JSON, XML, form-data) to ensure proper request handling by the API.
Inspect verbose output with the -v flag to see the full request-response cycle including SSL handshake details and redirect chains.
Swagger UI
Swagger UI is an open-source tool that visualizes RESTful APIs and lets developers interact with them directly. Key features for troubleshooting include:
Auto-generates interactive API documentation from OpenAPI specifications, making it easy to verify endpoint contracts.
Allows users to send live requests from the UI with modifiable parameters, headers, and payloads to test API behavior.
Displays responses in a structured format, including status codes, headers, and body content.
Supports various authentication methods like API keys, OAuth, and bearer tokens for testing protected endpoints.
Browser developer tools
Built into every modern browser, developer tools provide powerful debugging capabilities for frontend API calls. They are particularly useful for diagnosing CORS issues and inspecting network traffic:
Use the Network tab to view all outgoing API requests, their status codes, response times, and response bodies.
Inspect preflight OPTIONS requests to diagnose CORS configuration problems.
View detailed request and response headers to verify that authentication tokens and content types are correctly attached.
Replay failed requests with modified parameters to test fixes without writing code.
Fiddler
Fiddler is an HTTP proxy tool that captures and analyzes API traffic. It is useful for debugging issues related to performance, security, and response handling:
Captures all HTTP/HTTPS requests and responses, allowing you to analyze request headers, payloads, and authentication tokens.
Diagnoses slow API responses by measuring response times and identifying bottlenecks.
Lets you modify and resend requests with tweaked parameters, headers, or body content to simulate different scenarios.
Supports SSL/TLS inspection to detect certificate issues that may affect API security.
Wireshark
Wireshark is a network packet analyzer that provides deep visibility into API traffic at the transport layer. Engineers use it to:
Capture and inspect network packets to detect anomalies such as packet loss, high latency, or unexpected timeouts.
Analyze API communication at the TCP/UDP level to identify network-layer problems invisible to application-layer tools.
Filter traffic by API endpoints, IP addresses, or protocols to isolate problem areas.
Detect security vulnerabilities, such as API calls made over unencrypted channels or certificate mismatches.
JSONLint
JSONLint is a straightforward tool for validating and formatting JSON. Since REST APIs typically exchange data in JSON format, ensuring the payload structure is correct is a fundamental troubleshooting step:
Checks for syntax errors in JSON request bodies and responses to prevent issues caused by malformed data.
Formats unstructured JSON into a human-readable layout for easier debugging.
Highlights missing brackets, commas, or incorrect nesting in JSON objects and arrays.
Validates API responses before they are consumed by client applications.
Site24x7
Site24x7 offers a comprehensive REST API monitoring solution that tracks API health, uptime, and performance continuously. It supports all major HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH) and provides granular response time breakdowns into DNS lookup, connection, SSL handshake, first byte, and download time. Key capabilities include:
Monitor REST API endpoints from over 130 global locations to detect regional connectivity and performance issues.
Receive real-time alerts via email, SMS, or integrations like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and PagerDuty when API failures or performance degradation occur.
Track protected API endpoints with authentication methods including Basic/NTLM, OAuth 2.0, and Client Certificates.
Validate API responses against RegEx, XPath, or JSONPath assertions, and test JSON responses against a JSON schema.
Generate automatic Root Cause Analysis (RCA) reports for downtime incidents, including DNS analysis, traceroute, and ping results to identify the exact point of failure.
Import API endpoints in bulk via HAR, Swagger (JSON), or CSV files for quick setup of large-scale monitoring.
REST API issue troubleshooting guide
Below is a detailed breakdown of the most common REST API errors organized by category, along with their symptoms and step-by-step troubleshooting instructions.
Client-side errors (4xx status codes)
These errors indicate that the problem originates from the client's request. The server understood the request but cannot fulfill it due to issues with the request itself.
400 bad request
A 400 Bad Request occurs when the API rejects a request due to incorrect formatting, missing parameters, or malformed data.
Symptoms:
API returns a 400 status code.
Response body includes messages like "Invalid request format," "Missing required fields," or "Problems parsing JSON."
Troubleshooting:
Validate the request body using a JSON linter. Malformed JSON (missing brackets, trailing commas, incorrect quoting) is one of the top causes.
Ensure the Content-Type header matches the format of the body (e.g., application/json for JSON payloads).
Check that all mandatory parameters are present and use the correct data types as specified in the API documentation.
API endpoints, headers, and parameter names are often case-sensitive. Double-check that you are using the exact casing required.
Simplify the request to its minimal required fields. If the simplified request succeeds, gradually add parameters to isolate the one causing the error.
401 unauthorized
A 401 error means the request lacks valid authentication credentials. The client must authenticate before the server will process the request.
Symptoms:
API returns a 401 status code with a "WWW-Authenticate" header.
Response body shows "Unauthorized," "Invalid token," or "Authentication required."
Troubleshooting:
Verify the API key, bearer token, or credentials are correct. Check for typos, case sensitivity, and leading or trailing whitespace.
If using token-based authentication (JWT or OAuth 2.0), check whether the token has expired. Decode the JWT payload to inspect the exp claim.
Ensure the Authorization header format is correct (e.g., Bearer <token> or Basic <base64-encoded-credentials>).
Confirm the token or API key has not been revoked or regenerated since it was last stored in your application.
Check the authentication server logs for errors related to token validation or credential lookup.
403 forbidden
A 403 Forbidden means the server understands the request and knows who the client is, but the client does not have permission to access the requested resource.
Symptoms:
API returns a 403 status code.
Response body shows "Forbidden," "Access denied," or "Insufficient permissions."
Troubleshooting:
Verify that the authenticated user or API key has the required role or scope to access the endpoint. Many APIs enforce role-based access control (RBAC).
Check if the resource has IP-based restrictions that may be blocking your request origin.
Ensure the request is not being blocked by a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or rate limiter that returns 403 instead of 429.
If using token-based auth, confirm the token has the correct scopes or permissions granted during the OAuth authorization flow.
404 not found
A 404 Not Found means the server cannot locate the requested resource at the specified URL.
Symptoms:
API returns a 404 status code.
Response body shows "Not Found" or "Resource does not exist."
Troubleshooting:
Double-check the endpoint URL for typos, including trailing slashes, incorrect path segments, or wrong API version prefixes (e.g., /api/v1 vs. /api/v2).
Ensure URL path parameters are properly URL-encoded. Special characters like slashes in path parameters must be replaced with their encoded equivalents (e.g., %2F).
Verify that the resource ID or identifier in the URL actually exists. The resource may have been deleted or never created.
Some APIs return 404 instead of 403 for private resources when the client is not authenticated, to avoid confirming the resource exists. Check your authentication credentials.
If the API was recently updated, confirm the endpoint was not renamed or deprecated in the latest version.
429 too many requests
A 429 error means the client has exceeded the API's rate limit within a given time window.
Symptoms:
API returns a 429 status code.
Response includes a Retry-After header indicating when to retry.
The X-RateLimit-Remaining header shows 0.
Troubleshooting:
Respect the Retry-After header and wait the specified duration before sending another request.
Implement exponential backoff with jitter in your retry logic to avoid thundering herd problems when limits reset.
Review your application logic for unintended request loops or redundant API calls that may be consuming your quota.
If you consistently hit rate limits, consider caching responses locally, batching requests where the API supports it, or requesting a higher rate limit from the API provider.
Check if concurrent processes or multiple application instances are sharing the same API key and collectively exceeding the limit.
Server-side errors (5xx status codes)
These errors indicate that the server failed to process a valid request. The problem is on the server side, not the client.
500 internal server error
A 500 error is a generic catch-all indicating that something went wrong on the server side during request processing.
Symptoms:
API responds with a 500 status code.
Server logs show unhandled exceptions or stack traces.
Troubleshooting:
Check server-side application logs for unhandled exceptions, null pointer errors, or stack traces that pinpoint the failure location.
Verify database connectivity. 500 errors are frequently caused by failed database connections, deadlocks, or query timeouts.
If the API relies on external services or APIs, check whether a dependency failure is causing the 500 error. Test each dependency independently.
Review environment configuration. Incorrect environment variables, missing configuration files, or misconfigured settings can trigger runtime errors that result in 500 responses.
Test whether the error is reproducible with a specific input. If so, the issue likely lies in input handling or business logic rather than infrastructure.
502 bad gateway
A 502 error occurs when a server acting as a gateway or proxy receives an invalid response from the upstream server.
Symptoms:
API returns a 502 status code.
The error is intermittent and may resolve on retry.
Troubleshooting:
Check if the upstream application server is running and healthy. A crashed or overloaded backend is the most common cause.
Review the reverse proxy or load balancer logs (e.g., Nginx, HAProxy) for upstream connection errors or timeout messages.
Verify that the proxy configuration points to the correct upstream server address and port.
Increase proxy timeout settings if the upstream server requires more time to process complex requests.
503 service unavailable
A 503 error means the server is temporarily unable to handle the request, usually due to maintenance or overload.
Symptoms:
API returns a 503 status code, possibly with a Retry-After header.
The service was recently deployed or is under heavy load.
Troubleshooting:
Check if the server is undergoing scheduled maintenance. Look for status page updates from the service provider.
Monitor server resource usage (CPU, memory, disk I/O). The server may be overloaded and unable to accept new connections.
If you recently deployed changes, verify the deployment was successful and the application started correctly.
Check if auto-scaling policies are configured and working. The server may need additional instances to handle the current load.
504 gateway timeout
A 504 error occurs when a gateway or proxy server does not receive a timely response from the upstream server.
Symptoms:
API returns a 504 status code after a prolonged delay.
The same request may sometimes succeed when traffic is lower.
Troubleshooting:
Identify slow operations in the upstream server. Long-running database queries, external API calls, or complex computations can exceed the proxy's timeout threshold.
Increase the gateway timeout if the upstream operation legitimately requires more time, but also optimize the slow operation.
Check for network issues between the proxy and the upstream server, including firewall rules or DNS resolution problems.
Consider moving long-running operations to asynchronous processing and returning a 202 Accepted response with a polling endpoint.
CORS and cross-origin errors
Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) errors are among the most frequently encountered issues when calling REST APIs from browser-based applications. They occur when the browser blocks a request because the server has not granted the requesting origin permission to access its resources.
CORS preflight failures
When a browser sends a non-simple request (e.g., with custom headers or PUT/DELETE methods), it first sends an OPTIONS preflight request. If the server does not respond correctly, the actual request is blocked.
Symptoms:
Browser console shows "Access to fetch at ... has been blocked by CORS policy."
The Network tab shows a failed OPTIONS request with no appropriate CORS headers in the response.
Troubleshooting:
Configure the API server to respond to OPTIONS requests with the correct headers: Access-Control-Allow-Origin, Access-Control-Allow-Methods, and Access-Control-Allow-Headers.
Ensure the Access-Control-Allow-Origin header matches the origin of the requesting application, or use * for public APIs (not recommended for APIs requiring credentials).
If the API requires credentials (cookies, authorization headers), set Access-Control-Allow-Credentials: true and specify an explicit origin instead of *.
Verify that the allowed methods include the HTTP method your application is using. Missing PUT, DELETE, or PATCH from the allowed methods list is a common oversight.
Check if a reverse proxy or CDN layer is stripping the CORS headers from the response before it reaches the browser.
Platform and configuration issues
These issues arise from deployment problems, incorrect configurations, or version mismatches rather than specific HTTP error codes.
API version mismatch
Clients using outdated API versions may get errors or unexpected behavior.
Symptoms:
Requests fail with 404 or 500 errors despite correct endpoint syntax.
Response fields do not match the API documentation you are referencing.
Troubleshooting:
Ensure the client is explicitly requesting the intended API version in the URL (e.g., /api/v2/resources) or through a custom header (e.g., X-API-Version: 2).
Compare the API version in use with the latest version documented by the provider. Check for deprecation notices.
If your application uses an API library or SDK, verify the library is updated to support the desired API version.
Review server-side logs for warnings about deprecated endpoints or version-related routing issues.
Incorrect API deployment
A faulty deployment may lead to configuration mismatches or broken endpoints.
Symptoms:
Endpoints return unexpected responses or completely different data structures.
API works in staging but fails in production.
Troubleshooting:
Confirm the correct code version was deployed by checking commit hashes, build numbers, or deployment logs.
Review environment-specific configuration files for discrepancies in database connection strings, API keys, and service URLs.
Verify that all necessary dependencies are installed at the correct versions in the deployed environment.
Examine the deployment process logs for errors or warnings that may indicate a problem during the rollout.
Networking problems
Connectivity problems can make APIs unavailable, slow, or unreliable.
API timeouts
API requests fail to complete within the configured timeout window.
Symptoms:
Client receives a 408 Request Timeout or a connection timeout error.
Requests fail intermittently, especially during peak traffic.
Troubleshooting:
Analyze the API's backend logic for slow-performing operations such as unoptimized database queries, synchronous calls to external services, or heavy computation.
Investigate network conditions between the client and server. High latency, packet loss, or congestion can cause delays that exceed timeout thresholds.
Increase the timeout duration on both client and server sides if the operation legitimately needs more time, but always pair this with optimization of the slow operation.
Check if dependent external services are responding slowly and causing a bottleneck in the API processing chain.
Use a monitoring tool like Site24x7 to track response time breakdowns (DNS, connection, SSL, first byte, download) and identify exactly where the delay occurs.
DNS resolution failure
Clients cannot reach the API server because the domain name fails to resolve to an IP address.
Symptoms:
Requests return a "DNS resolution failed" or "Could not resolve host" error.
Users in certain geographic locations cannot access the API while others can.
Troubleshooting:
Verify that DNS records (A, AAAA, CNAME) are correctly configured for the API's domain.
Use online DNS lookup tools to check DNS records from multiple geographic locations to identify propagation issues.
If DNS changes were made recently, allow time for propagation to complete (up to 48 hours for global propagation).
Flush local DNS cache on the client machine and retry the request.
Check if the DNS provider is experiencing an outage by querying alternative DNS resolvers (e.g., 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1).
Security problems
Security-related API issues can both block legitimate users and expose vulnerabilities.
SSL/TLS certificate errors
Certificate mismatches, expirations, or untrusted certificate chains can prevent secure API connections.
Symptoms:
Requests fail with "SSL certificate problem" or "unable to verify the first certificate" errors.
Connections work in a browser but fail from code or cURL.
Troubleshooting:
Check whether the SSL/TLS certificate has expired and renew it if needed.
Verify the certificate chain is complete. Missing intermediate certificates is a frequent cause of validation failures.
Ensure the certificate's Common Name (CN) or Subject Alternative Name (SAN) matches the API's domain name.
If testing locally with self-signed certificates, configure your HTTP client to trust the certificate or use the appropriate CA bundle.
API key misuse
Leaked or stolen API keys can be exploited for unauthorized access.
Symptoms:
Unexpected traffic spikes from unknown IP addresses.
Unauthorized transactions, data access, or quota consumption.
Troubleshooting:
Immediately revoke the compromised API key to prevent further unauthorized access.
Review API access logs to identify the source of the unauthorized activity and assess the scope of the breach.
Restrict API key usage to specific IP addresses or IP ranges where possible.
Implement a regular key rotation policy to limit the exposure window if a key is compromised.
Audit your codebase and CI/CD pipelines to ensure API keys are stored in environment variables or secrets managers, never committed to repositories.
Dependency failures
APIs that depend on external services can fail when those services become unavailable or degrade.
Third-party API downtime
External services your API depends on may experience outages or degraded performance.
Symptoms:
Requests to your API fail intermittently or with elevated latency.
Logs show connection errors, timeouts, or unexpected responses from third-party API calls.
Troubleshooting:
Check the external service's status page to confirm whether they are experiencing an outage or degraded performance.
Implement circuit breaker patterns in your application to prevent repeated failed calls to a down dependency from exhausting your own resources.
Set up health checks that periodically test connectivity to each third-party dependency, so you are alerted as soon as a failure occurs.
Design fallback responses or cached results that can be served when a dependency is unavailable, maintaining a degraded but functional user experience.
Scalability challenges
APIs may struggle under heavy traffic or inefficient resource management.
API performance degradation under high traffic
An API may slow down or stop responding when traffic exceeds the server's capacity.
Symptoms:
Increased error rates and response times during peak usage.
Server CPU, memory, or connection pool utilization spikes to capacity.
Troubleshooting:
Implement rate limiting to prevent any single client from overwhelming the system with excessive requests.
Deploy load balancers to distribute incoming requests across multiple server instances evenly.
Use message queues (such as RabbitMQ or Kafka) to offload write operations or long-running tasks to asynchronous workers.
Optimize database performance with connection pooling, read replicas for read-heavy workloads, query optimization, and database-level caching.
Configure auto-scaling policies in your cloud infrastructure to automatically add capacity during traffic spikes.
How to prevent REST API issues (best practices)
Proactive measures can prevent many REST API errors from occurring in the first place. Follow these best practices to build resilient APIs:
Return meaningful error responses: Design your API to return descriptive error messages with appropriate HTTP status codes (e.g., 400 for client errors, 500 for server errors). Include an error code, a human-readable message, and a link to relevant documentation in the response body.
Version your APIs: Always version your endpoints (e.g., /v1/resource) to prevent breaking changes for existing clients when you update or modify API behavior.
Validate inputs strictly: Enforce validation on request payloads, query parameters, and headers at the API gateway or application layer to reject malformed or malicious data early.
Monitor continuously: Use tools like Site24x7 to track response times, error rates, throughput, and availability across global locations. Set up alerting thresholds so you are notified before minor issues become outages.
Secure every endpoint: Use HTTPS for all API traffic, implement strong authentication (OAuth 2.0, API keys), and enforce authorization checks on every endpoint to protect sensitive resources.
Implement caching: Use HTTP caching headers (ETag, Cache-Control) or a CDN to reduce server load and improve response times for frequently requested, rarely changing data.
Maintain up-to-date documentation: Provide clear, current API documentation with endpoint details, request/response examples, error codes, and rate limit information. Use tools like Swagger or OpenAPI to auto-generate interactive documentation.
Use retry logic with backoff: Configure timeout limits for API requests and implement retry mechanisms with exponential backoff and jitter to handle transient failures gracefully without overwhelming the server.
Design for idempotency: Ensure operations like PUT and DELETE produce the same result regardless of how many times they are called, so retries do not cause unintended side effects.
Log comprehensively: Log every request and response with correlation IDs so you can trace an entire request flow across microservices during troubleshooting.
Conclusion
REST API troubleshooting does not have to be a guessing game. By understanding the meaning behind each HTTP status code, following a systematic diagnostic approach, and using the right tools, you can identify and resolve API issues quickly. Whether you are dealing with authentication errors, rate limiting, CORS failures, or server-side exceptions, the troubleshooting steps in this guide give you a clear path from symptom to solution.
To stay ahead of API issues before they impact your users, set up continuous monitoring with Site24x7's REST API monitoring solution. Track uptime, response times, and error rates from over 130 global locations, receive instant alerts on failures, and get automated Root Cause Analysis reports that help you resolve incidents faster.
Site24x7 offers a comprehensive REST API monitoring solution that tracks API health, uptime, and response times from over 130 global locations. It breaks down response time into DNS lookup, connection, SSL handshake, first byte, and download time, helping you pinpoint exactly where failures occur.
Yes, Site24x7 supports various authentication methods including Basic/NTLM, OAuth 2.0, and Client Certificates, allowing you to securely monitor protected REST API endpoints.
Yes. Site24x7 sends real-time alerts via email, SMS, or integrations like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and PagerDuty the moment your REST API experiences downtime, high latency, or unexpected error codes.
The most common REST API errors include 400 Bad Request, 401 Unauthorized, 403 Forbidden, 404 Not Found, 429 Too Many Requests, 500 Internal Server Error, 502 Bad Gateway, 503 Service Unavailable, and 504 Gateway Timeout. Each has distinct causes and troubleshooting approaches.
CORS errors occur when a browser blocks cross-origin requests. To fix them, configure the server to include the correct Access-Control-Allow-Origin, Access-Control-Allow-Methods, and Access-Control-Allow-Headers response headers. Ensure preflight OPTIONS requests are handled and that credentials are properly configured if needed.
A 401 Unauthorized error means the request lacks valid authentication credentials, and the client should authenticate before retrying. A 403 Forbidden error means the server understood the request and the client's identity, but the client does not have permission to access the requested resource.
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