What information is found in the response body of a 304 HTTP status code?

Question Analysis

The question focuses on understanding HTTP status codes, specifically the 304 status code. HTTP status codes are used to indicate the result of a client’s request made to a server. The 304 status code is part of the 3xx series, which generally indicates redirection. The candidate is required to understand what information is typically contained in the response body when a 304 status code is returned by the server.

Answer

The 304 HTTP status code is known as "Not Modified." It is used by a server to indicate that the requested resource has not been modified since the last request, and therefore, the client can continue to use the cached version of the resource.

• Response Body for a 304 Status Code:
  • A 304 response does not contain a response body. Instead, it relies on the client’s cached data.
• Key Points:
  • The 304 status code is typically used with conditional requests made using headers such as If-Modified-Since or If-None-Match.
  • When a server returns a 304 status, it omits the body of the response because there is no new data to send.
  • The client should use the cached version of the resource as it is still up-to-date.

Understanding this behavior helps optimize web applications by reducing bandwidth usage and improving load times through effective caching mechanisms.