Authorization
Request headers
Carries the credentials that prove who you are — a token or a username and password.
| On the wire | Authorization: … |
|---|---|
| Category | Request headers |
Headers the browser attaches when it sends to the server.
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 Authorization mean?
Carries the credentials that prove who you are — a token or a username and password.
Q. What does Authorization look like on the wire?
It travels as Authorization: …
Q. Where does Authorization appear?
In request headers.
Q. What group does Authorization belong to?
The request headers group; the rest of that group is listed further down.