201
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
201 Created is like 200 but specifically for when something NEW was made. When you sign up for an app and the server creates your account, you should get a 201 back. 'Request worked AND we made a new thing.'
Real Talk
HTTP 201 Created indicates that the request succeeded and a new resource was created as a result. It's typically returned from POST endpoints that create resources. The response often includes the created resource and a Location header pointing to it.
When You'll Hear This
"POST to /users should return 201 with the new user." / "Always return 201, not 200, when creating a resource."
Related Terms
200
200 OK is the server's way of saying 'yep, everything worked great, here's what you asked for.' It's the best number to see in your network tab.
CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete)
CRUD is the four things you can do to data: Create it, Read it, Update it, Delete it. Literally every app ever made is just CRUD in a trenchcoat.
POST
POST is the HTTP method for creating new things. When you submit a form, sign up, or upload a file — that's a POST.
Status Code
An HTTP status code is the server's one-line verdict on your request. 200 means 'perfect, here's what you asked for.' 404 means 'can't find it.