CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptnode.jsexpress
ConfusedDeer
ConfusedDeer

Reputation: 3415

In Node.js setting status to 404 reponds with a 304 instead

In my node.js app (with Express), I have a final else condition to catch unknown paths and respond with a file named '404.html':

else if(req.url !== '/json' && req.url !== '/version' && req.url !==  "/json/version"){
   res.status(404).send('<script>location.href = "/404.html";</script>');
}

This is working fine if for example someone is trying to access a invalid path www.myApp.com/aaldkfjd or www.myApp.com/aaldkfjd/jkjadklfja/dkjfakj, which are invalid so it will go in the else and sends the '404.html' file.

but when inspecting the server response in the client, I noticed it's a 304, instead of a 404.

enter image description here

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en-US">
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html">
    <title>My Awesome 404 page</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="/css/styles.css"/>
    <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/images/favicon.ico">
</head>

<body style="text-align:center;">
<div id="loginDiv">
    <h1 id="loginHeader">404...We don't know that route!</h1>
</div>

<img src="images/myImageMedium.png" alt="404 image">


</body>
</html>

Upvotes: 2

Views: 321

Answers (3)

codecode
codecode

Reputation: 1

you could event try the following code below.

else if(req.url !== '/json' && req.url !== '/version' && req.url !==  "/json/version"){ 
res.write('<script>location.href = "/404.html";</script>'); res.status(404).end();
}

Upvotes: -3

Blunt Jackson
Blunt Jackson

Reputation: 664

Your server is sending a script that redirects to the 404 page, thus the 304 status.

The best practice here would be to have node send the "My Awesome 404 page" itself.

So:

res.status(404).sendFile('public/404.html')

Upvotes: 2

Quentin
Quentin

Reputation: 943108

The browser gets a 404 status and loads the 404 error page.

The error page contains JavaScript which causes the browser to leave the 404 page and navigate to a new page.

That page is loaded with a 304 status.

You should serve your actual 404 message when you output a 404 error and not redirect the client.

Upvotes: 3

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