4184xx
4xx — Client Error
I'm a teapot
The server refuses the attempt to brew coffee with a teapot.
What it means
The HTTP 418 I'm a teapot client error response code indicates that the server refuses to brew coffee because it is, permanently, a teapot.
This status code was defined in 1998 as one of the traditional IETF April Fools' jokes, in RFC 2324, Hyper Text Coffee Pot Control Protocol (HTCPCP).
How it works
- 1A client sends a BREW request to a smart teapot.
- 2The teapot is a teapot, not a coffee maker.
- 3The teapot returns 418.
Why you're seeing this
- • Attempting to brew coffee in a teapot.
How to fix it
- • Find a coffee machine.
Framework Implementations
Express.js
app.post('/brew', (req, res) => {
res.status(418).send('I am a teapot');
});Real-Life Scenarios
You should use this purely as an Easter egg in your APIs. Do not use it for real error handling.
Easter Eggs
If a user visits /brew-coffee on your web API, you can return a 418 just for fun.
HTTP Transaction
1. Client Request
BREW /coffee HTTP/1.1
2. Server Response
HTTP/1.1 418 I'm a teapot Short and stout.
SEO Implications
None.