206 vs 200: Partial Content vs OK
206 and 200 can look similar in logs, but they tell clients, crawlers, and API consumers different things.
| Aspect | 206 | 200 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Partial Content describes how the server processed the request and what the client should do next. | OK describes how the server processed the request and what the client should do next. |
| Typical use case | HTTP 206 Partial Content indicates a success response outcome. | HTTP 200 OK indicates a success response outcome. |
| Caching/client behavior | Check cache headers and downstream behavior for 206. | Check cache headers and downstream behavior for 200. |
| SEO implications | Search crawlers interpret 206 according to success semantics. | Search crawlers interpret 200 according to success semantics. |
| API/backend impact | API clients may branch logic specifically on 206. | API clients may branch logic specifically on 200. |
When to use one vs the other
Use 206 when the response should communicate partial content behavior; use 200 when ok is the accurate protocol signal.
A frequent mistake is swapping 206 and 200 for convenience; that causes client retry bugs, incorrect cache signals, and misleading monitoring data.
Decision summary: if user agents should receive the Partial Content signal, return 206; if they should receive OK, return 200.
FAQ
What is the biggest difference between 206 and 200?
206 communicates Partial Content, while 200 communicates OK. Choosing the right one keeps clients and intermediaries predictable.
Do 206 and 200 have SEO or caching impact?
Yes. Search engines and caches interpret status classes differently. Use each code according to its semantics to avoid accidental indexing, stale responses, or crawl inefficiency.
Can APIs safely return 206 instead of 200?
Only when it matches contract semantics. API clients often branch logic by exact code, so swapping them can break retries, auth handling, or user-facing errors.
Related guides: 206 Partial Content · 200 OK