> (I'd likely be horrified to learn that something out there critically depends on the Reason Phrase…)
IIRC, the 8xxx RFCs have specified that you must read the reason and that the code itself does not fully specify the result because there have been some custom codes that overlap on number.
the 8xxx RFCs? Did you mean the newer 7xxx ones? If so, they say,
> The reason-phrase element exists for the sole purpose of providing a textual description associated with the numeric status code, mostly out of deference to earlier Internet application protocols that were more frequently used with interactive text clients. A client SHOULD ignore the reason-phrase content.
I'm not aware of any highlevel HTTP RFCs in the 8xxx range.
IIRC, the 8xxx RFCs have specified that you must read the reason and that the code itself does not fully specify the result because there have been some custom codes that overlap on number.