HTTP 202 Accepted vs 415 Unsupported Media Type
HTTP 202 (Accepted) is a 2xx Success response, while 415 (Unsupported Media Type) is a 4xx Client Error response. 202 indicates that the request has been accepted for processing, but the processing has not been completed. The request might or might not eventually be acted upon. In contrast, 415 means that the server refuses to accept the request because the Content-Type is not supported.
Description
The request has been accepted for processing, but the processing has not been completed. The request might or might not eventually be acted upon.
When You See It
For async operations like batch jobs, email sending, or background tasks that take time to complete.
How to Fix
Poll the provided status URL or wait for a callback/webhook.
Description
The server refuses to accept the request because the Content-Type is not supported.
When You See It
When sending JSON to an endpoint that only accepts XML, or missing the Content-Type header.
How to Fix
Set the correct Content-Type header matching the data format you're sending.
Key Differences
202 is a 2xx Success response, while 415 is a 4xx Client Error response.
HTTP 202: The request has been accepted for processing, but the processing has not been completed. The request might or might not eventually be acted upon.
HTTP 415: The server refuses to accept the request because the Content-Type is not supported.
You encounter 202 when for async operations like batch jobs, email sending, or background tasks that take time to complete.
You encounter 415 when when sending JSON to an endpoint that only accepts XML, or missing the Content-Type header.
When to Use Which
For 202 (Accepted): Poll the provided status URL or wait for a callback/webhook. For 415 (Unsupported Media Type): Set the correct Content-Type header matching the data format you're sending.