getResponseCode

getResponseCode is a method used in HTTP client libraries to obtain the numeric HTTP status code from the most recent response. The exact class or namespace where the method appears varies by library, but its purpose is consistent: to reveal the status of the HTTP transaction.

In common implementations, the method returns an integer such as 200, 301, 404, or 500. It is typically called after a request has been sent and a response has been received. Depending on the library, getResponseCode may require that a connection be established first and may throw an I/O exception if the request fails due to network or transport errors. In some environments, a sentinel value like -1 indicates that no valid response code is available yet.

Behavior can differ slightly across languages and frameworks. For example, in Java's HttpURLConnection the method returns the HTTP status code for the response, while other libraries may expose a similarly named method that serves the same purpose on a Response object. In some APIs, retrieving the status code also affects how the response body should be read, such as choosing between a success input stream versus an error stream.

Related methods commonly used alongside getResponseCode include getResponseMessage (which returns the reason phrase), getHeaderField (to inspect headers), getInputStream (to read the response body), getErrorStream (for error bodies), and disconnect (to close the connection). Some libraries also offer statusCode() or code() as alternative names for the same concept.