Access-Control-Allow-Origin

Response headers

Names which origins may read this response — the heart of CORS.

On the wireAccess-Control-Allow-Origin: …
CategoryResponse headers

Headers the server attaches when it answers.

How to read this

  • The first digit of a status code carries the meaning: 4 means the request, 5 means the server.
  • 404 means "not there"; 403 means "there, but not for you". Swapping them makes debugging slower.
  • Header names are case-insensitive — Content-Type and content-type are the same header.
  • Caching and CORS problems usually come down to one header line, visible in the browser’s network tab.

Frequently asked questions

Q. What does HTTP Access-Control-Allow-Origin mean?

Names which origins may read this response — the heart of CORS.

Q. What does Access-Control-Allow-Origin look like on the wire?

It travels as Access-Control-Allow-Origin: …

Q. Where does Access-Control-Allow-Origin appear?

In response headers.

Q. What group does Access-Control-Allow-Origin belong to?

The response headers group; the rest of that group is listed further down.

Same group

Reference docs