// http 4xx · client error

HTTP 400 Bad Request

The server can't process a malformed request.

What HTTP 400 Bad Request means

400 Bad Request means the server couldn't understand the request because it's malformed — bad JSON, an invalid parameter, or a broken header. It's a catch-all client error: the request has to change before it can succeed.

Which category is it?

400 is a 4xx code — Client error. 4xx means the request has a problem the client must fix — bad syntax, missing authentication, or a resource that isn't there. It's the caller's responsibility.

Common causes

  • Malformed JSON or invalid request body
  • Missing or invalid query parameters
  • A header the server can't parse
  • Request size or syntax limits exceeded

How to fix it

  • Validate the request body against the API's schema
  • Check required parameters and their types
  • Inspect the raw request with a tool like the cURL formatter

Other client error (4xx) codes