What does HTTP status 208 (Already Reported) mean?

HTTP_STATUS_ALREADY_REPORTED

This status is defined for WebDAV collection bindings. It tells the client that the server already reported the relevant binding earlier in the same depth traversal, preventing repeated enumeration and loops.

It is meaningful only inside a DAV:multistatus response. Clients should retain the earlier result for that resource instead of treating 208 as a general-purpose HTTP success code.

RFC 5842: Binding Extensions to WebDAV

Operational meaning of HTTP 208 for HTTP_STATUS_ALREADY_REPORTED

HTTP 208 (this result) is a successful response. AllStat records its meaning as “208 Already Reported”. Interpret it with the request method, selected representation, response headers, and the specification or product that defines the code; the number alone does not prove that application work completed.

Client and server handling

• Verify what work the response representation says was completed; this result can still describe asynchronous or partial handling.
• use validators, location/status links, and application identifiers supplied by the server.
• do not retry a non-idempotent request merely because the client did not understand the response body.

For telemetry, record HTTP 208, method, authority, route template rather than secrets, response headers relevant to caching or retry, latency, upstream identity, and whether the response originated at the application or an intermediary.

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