418 HTTP Status Code: How to Create (The Joke)

The 418 HTTP Status Code (I'm a teapot) is a humorous and unusual code often used to play pranks on developers during April Fools' Day or as an Easter egg.

What is the HTTP 418 HTTP Status Code?

HTTP 418 is an intriguing status code, colloquially known as “I'm a teapot.” This code was introduced as part of the April Fools' Day RFC 2324 in 1998.

Contrary to standard HTTP status codes, HTTP 418 was never intended to be implemented by actual HTTP servers. Instead, it was reserved to indicate that a teapot, when queried, would respond that it is not designed to brew coffee.

Common Causes of 418 HTTP Status Code

While HTTP 418 is primarily a joke status code without real-world applications in standard web server responses, it has found its way into various non-standard uses. Some of these include:

1. Serving as an Easter egg in software or websites.
2. Indicating a non-standard error or response in developer tests.
3. Providing a humorous response to specific user actions or inputs.

How to Create 418 HTTP Status Code

To generate a 418 HTTP status code, you'll need to have control over a server or be using a server-side scripting language.

Here's how you can return a 418 HTTP status code using various popular platforms:

Node.js with Express:

const express = require('express'); const app = express(); app.get('/teapot', (req, res) => { res.status(418).send("I'm a teapot"); }); app.listen(3000, () => { console.log('Server running on port 3000'); });

Python with Flask:

from flask import Flask, Response app = Flask(__name__) @app.route('/teapot') def teapot(): return Response("I'm a teapot", status=418) if __name__ == '__main__': app.run()

PHP:

<?php http_response_code(418); echo "I'm a teapot"; ?>

Ruby with Sinatra:

require 'sinatra' get '/teapot' do status 418 "I'm a teapot" end

Java with Spring Boot:

import org.springframework.http.HttpStatus; import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.GetMapping; import org.springframework.web.bind.annotation.RestController; import org.springframework.web.server.ResponseStatusException; @RestController public class TeapotController { @GetMapping("/teapot") public String teapot() { throw new ResponseStatusException(HttpStatus.I_AM_A_TEAPOT, "I'm a teapot"); } }

Remember, the 418 status code is not a standard HTTP status code and is meant for humorous purposes. So now you can go and make fun of your developer friends!

Similar HTTP Codes

401 HTTP Unauthorized

402 HTTP “Payment Required”

403 HTTP “Forbidden”

404 HTTP Failed to Load Resource

405 HTTP “Method Not Allowed”

Conclusion

The 418 HTTP status code is a code that doesn't serve any function other than to play a joke on friends. You can use it for a prank and make someone laugh. Above, you can find ways to create this status code.