HTTP response

Meaning

An HTTP response is the reply a server sends to a browser, made up of a status, headers and the content, such as HTML or JSON. The status tells the browser whether the request worked, for example success, moved or not found. A PHP script can choose the headers and the content, so it can return a page, a downloadable file or a redirect to another address. Understanding responses helps when debugging, because many problems come from a wrong status or header rather than from the page itself. See also: HTTP request, Web server, and the guide How PHP Works on the Server: Request and Response Explained.