304 - Not Modified HTTP Status

About

When a client (intermediate / browser) can serve the content from its cache store, it may send a permission request (knwon as a conditional request) to the server. If the server responses back with the redirection status code 304, the cache gets the permission to use it.

In the devtool, a 304 shows that the browser has taken the decision to show the cached resource (and add therefore performed an implicit redirection)

Alongside a 304, the server must also add all cache control headers (as in a 200 (OK))

Example

HTTP/1.1 304 Not Modified

You can see the status in the devtool

  • Individually

Chrome Devtool Network 304

Http Status 304 Chrome Devtool





Discover More
HTTP - Cache (Cache-Control Header, Bursting, )

When sending a response, several headers have an influence / control over the cache store, we call them cache control headers The cache control header are: Name Description Cache-Control Define properties...
Http Status 304 Chrome Devtool
HTTP - Redirect (status codes 3xx) - Client must take additional action

The HTTP 3xx class of status code indicates that the client (user or user agent) must take additional action to complete the request. The redirect url is defined by the location header. A user agent...
HTTP - if-none-match Header

if-none-match is one of the conditional request header that permits to verify the freshness of the cache in a condition get request. As specified in a conditional get request, when a server gets a request...
Chrome Devtool Network 304
How to implement and check a Web / HTTP cache ?

Implementing and verifying that the HTTP cache is set and working properly is not a straightforward task. This article gives you a step by step.
Page Loading Key Moment
Web - Timeline of a page load (Page Speed|Page Latency)

Page load is the latency performance metrics that cumulates: TCP latency (ie how fast, the network will receive the HTTP request and send back the HTTP response ) HTTP latency (ie how fast the web...
What is a cache validation (conditional HTTP GET request) ?

A cache validation known as a conditional HTTP GET request asks the server if a resource has been modified



Share this page:
Follow us:
Task Runner