The HTTP 404 Not Found
client error response code indicates that the server can't find the requested resource. Links which lead to a 404 page are often called broken or dead links, and can be subject to link rot.
A 404 status code does not indicate whether the resource is temporarily or permanently missing. But if a resource is permanently removed, a 410
(Gone) should be used instead of a 404 status.
404 Not Found
Many web sites customize the look of a 404 page to be more helpful to the user and provide guidance on what to do next. Apache servers can be configured using an .htaccess
file and a code snippet like the following example.
ErrorDocument 404 /notfound.html
For an example of a custom 404 page, see MDN's 404 page.
Custom design is a good thing, in moderation. Feel free to make your 404 page humorous and human, but don't confuse your users.
Specification | Title |
---|---|
RFC 7231, section 6.5.4: 404 Not Found | Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP/1.1): Semantics and Content |
Desktop | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari | |
Basic support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Mobile | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Android webview | Chrome for Android | Edge Mobile | Firefox for Android | Opera for Android | iOS Safari | Samsung Internet | |
Basic support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Status/404