Summary of What Is a 415 Status Code?
- How to fix 415 error?
- What is a 415 error?
- What does the 415 code mean?
- What is the reason code 415?
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415 Error is an HTTP status code that means “Unsupported Media Type”. The server refuses to accept the request because the format of the data (the “payload”) being sent is in a format not supported by the server for the given operation.
Common Causes
The error typically results from a mismatch between what the client sends and what the server is configured to accept. Common causes include:
Incorrect Content-Type header: The most frequent cause is when the Content-Type header in the request does not match the actual data format being sent. For example, sending JSON data but specifying text/plain as the content type.
Unsupported media type: The server’s configuration does not support the specific media type (MIME type) indicated in the request header. For instance, an API might only accept application/json but the client sends application/xml.
Incorrect Content-Encoding header: The data is compressed or encoded in a way the server does not understand or is not configured to decode (e.g., using gzip without the server having the necessary module enabled).
Typos or non-standard naming: Simple errors like using charset=UTF8 instead of the standard charset=UTF-8 can cause the server to reject the request.
How to Fix a 415 Error
Fixing the error involves ensuring the client and server agree on the data format and encoding.
Verify the Content-Type header: Double-check that the Content-Type header in your request is present and correctly specifies the format of the data you are sending (e.g., application/json for JSON data).
Check the server’s accepted types: Consult the API documentation or use tools like browser developer tools (in the Network tab) to see what media types the server actually expects or is willing to process. The Accept header in the server’s response can provide hints on the expected input format.
Ensure correct encoding: If you are using compression, ensure the Content-Encoding header is correct and that the server is configured to handle that specific encoding format.
Correct client-side configuration: If using a client-side tool or library (like Postman or a specific programming library), make sure it is configured to send the correct headers and data format. For example, in Postman, ensure you select “JSON” from the dropdown menu for the body type instead of the default “Text”.
Update server configuration: If you control the server, you may need to update its configuration files (e.g., in Apache or Nginx) to support the required media type or encoding.
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What Is a 415 Status Code?
The origin server is refusing to service the request because the payload is in a format not supported by this method on the target resource.
The format problem might be due to the request’s indicated Content-Type or Content-Encoding, or as a result of inspecting the data directly.
- Source: RFC7231 Section 6.5.13
Rails HTTP Status Symbol :unsupported_media_type
Go HTTP Status Constant http.StatusUnsupportedMediaType
Symfony HTTP Status Constant Response::HTTP_UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE
Python2 HTTP Status Constant httplib.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE
Python3+ HTTP Status Constant http.client.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE
Python3.5+ HTTP Status Constant http.HTTPStatus.UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE
Why does the 415 status code happen?
When an HTTP 415 status code appears, it means that the server refused to accept a request from the browser. This error code usually happens because the payload (what the browser sends) isn’t in the right format.
It can also occur due to Content-Type and Content-Encoding headers being rejected by the server. In some cases, the server may return this error when it further inspects the message body.
In other words, the 415 Unsupported Media Type error informs you that the server won’t accept a file type because it doesn’t support the payload. This usually indicates that there is an underlying issue with the PHP code.
How to fix a 415 status code error
Wondering how to fix a 415 Unsupported Media Type error? We’ve got you covered.
It’s important to keep in mind that fixing a 415 error will involve having some coding experience. If you discover this status code error, you’ll want to:
- Make sure you send the right Content-Type header value
- Ensure the server can process the Content-Type header
- Double check what your server can process using the Accept header
It’s important to note that search engines like Google will likely not index URLs with a 415 error. As a result, any web pages returning this error could suffer a loss in rankings in the search results.
415 status code example
Want to see what an HTTP 415 error code look like in action? In this example, a client wants to request a gif file, but the server only accepts PNG files.
Initial request
POST /blog/ HTTP/1.1
Host: www.example.com
Content-Type: gif
Content-Length: 15
Initial response
HTTP/1.1 415 Unsupported Media Type
Content-Type: text
Content-Length: 130
<html>
<head>
<title> Unsupported format </title>
</head>
<body>
<p> This media type is not supported </p>
</body>
</html>
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