I was looking for something to use to make a new test for an arbitrary server, so I looked at the wikipedia page for HTTP status codes. It was a vaguely interesting read, but most of the major codes had already been implemented into the testing suite I was using for my Java HTTP Server. So I had to dig deep and pick something outside of the box. The answer became apparent. I chose the illusive 418 code.
What is the 418 status code?
It is a April Fool’s joke from 1998. The explanation for the code is ‘I’m a teapot.’ In the specifications for it, it says that when the teapot is asked to make coffee, it responds with that code. But server’s can’t make coffee and the status code is a joke. That doesn’t mean sites don’t implement it, though. Google did!
So I added a /teapot route to my server that gives a 418 code and displays the text ‘I’m a teapot.’ The test I made tests for the existence of those two things.
It may not be an amazing feature or something that creates utility, but the addition of the 418 code adds nuance and character to the server. A quirk. I like it.