Which HTTP status code indicates that a resource has been successfully created?

• A. 200
• B. 204
• C. 201
• D. 404

Answer: (C)

The status code indicating that a resource has been successfully created is 201. This code is part of the HTTP/1.1 specification and conveys that the server has fulfilled the request and has created a new resource as a result. It is most commonly returned in response to a POST request where a new entity is being added to a collection.

For example, when an application sends a request to create a new user account, and the server processes this successfully, it will respond with a 201 status code along with a link to the newly created resource. This response not only indicates success but also provides further context about the location of the resource, typically through the "Location" header.

The other status codes, while significant in their own contexts, do not specifically denote successful creation. A 200 status code signifies that a request has succeeded but does not imply that a new resource was created. A 204 status code means that the request was successful but there is no content to return, typically for DELETE requests. Finally, a 404 status code indicates that the resource could not be found, which is contrary to the request’s intended outcome. Thus, when it comes to resource creation, 201 is the appropriate and clearly defined status code.