What is HTTP Response Status Code 408 Request Timeout?
HTTP response status code 408 Request Timeout indicates that the server has timed out waiting for the client’s request to be completed.
This status is often returned when the client fails to send the full request within the time the server is willing to wait.
The client can retry the request after checking for network issues or ensuring that the request is complete.
It helps maintain efficient server performance by closing idle connections and preventing resource drain due to incomplete requests.
Example 1: Slow Client Request
# Client sends a request, but the request is very slow.
POST /submit-data HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.com
# Server Response
HTTP/1.1 408 Request Timeout
Date: Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:45:00 GMT
Server: Apache/2.4.41 (Ubuntu)
{
"error": "The server timed out waiting for the request."
}
Example 2: Client Fails to Complete the Request
# Client starts a request but fails to complete it.
GET /data HTTP/1.1
Host: api.example.com
# Server Response
HTTP/1.1 408 Request Timeout
Date: Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:47:00 GMT
Server: Nginx/1.18.0
{
"error": "The request took too long to complete."
}
Summary
The HTTP 408 Request Timeout status code is used when a server closes a connection due to the client taking too long to send the complete request. It helps servers maintain responsiveness by managing idle connections.
