StatusReason

StatusReason is a field or label used in software systems to describe the cause or justification for a given status value. It is commonly used in combination with a resource’s status to provide additional context that helps users and automation understand why a particular state was assigned.

In many APIs, data models, and dashboards, a resource may expose a status such as Active, Pending, or Failed, and may also include a statusReason that explains the reason for that status. The statusReason is typically a short, human- or machine-readable string or code, sometimes alongside a more verbose message. It is designed to aid troubleshooting, diagnostics, and automated decision making by offering a concise explanation for the observed state.

Common contexts for statusReason include API responses, event logs, health checks, and task or job dashboards. For example, a payment API could return a status of Declined with a statusReason like InsufficientFunds, while a deployment pipeline might report Failed with a statusReason such as BuildError or MissingDependency.

Design considerations for statusReason include aiming for consistency across resources, minimizing ambiguity, and supporting localization where appropriate. It should be used in conjunction with other status indicators, such as a statusCode or a separate message, and not relied upon as the sole determinant of action. When designing or consuming statusReason fields, developers should ensure clear mappings to failure modes and provide guidance on interpreting the values.