// http 4xx · client error
HTTP 408 Request Timeout
The client took too long to send the request.
What HTTP 408 Request Timeout means
408 Request Timeout means the client took too long to send the complete request, so the server gave up waiting and closed the connection. It's about the request being slow to arrive, not the server being slow to respond.
Which category is it?
408 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
- A slow or interrupted network sending the request
- The client opened a connection but didn't finish the request
- Aggressive server timeouts
How to fix it
- Retry the request
- Check the client's network stability
- Send the request body promptly after the headers