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What is 7xx-rfc?

joho/7xx-rfc — explained in plain English

Analysis updated 2026-06-26

4,540MakefileAudience · developerComplexity · 1/5LicenseSetup · easy

In one sentence

A joke internet standards document proposing a fictional HTTP 700-series of status codes for errors that are clearly the developer's fault, written with the same straight-faced formal language as a real RFC.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it is
      Joke RFC document
      HTTP 7xx codes
      Formal RFC format
    Code Categories
      Caffeination errors
      Caching disasters
      Syntax rush jobs
      Management blame
    Notable Codes
      701 Meh
      725 Works on my machine
      778 Off By One Error
      799 End of world
    Built With
      Markdown
      mmark formatter
      Makefile
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Code map

Detail Auto

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filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Look up absurdly specific HTTP 7xx error codes to share with your team as developer humor

USE CASE 2

Use the formal RFC structure as a template for writing your own joke technical specification

USE CASE 3

Add a humorous 7xx status code to developer-facing API error responses when the bug is clearly the caller's fault

USE CASE 4

Reference the code list when writing blog posts or talks about HTTP status codes to add comic relief

What is it built with?

MarkdownmmarkMakefile

How does it compare?

joho/7xx-rfcopenwrt/packagesnaereen/badges
Stars4,5404,4944,605
LanguageMakefileMakefileMakefile
Setup difficultyeasyhardeasy
Complexity1/54/51/5
Audiencedeveloperops devopsdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min
You can share and adapt this for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the original authors and share under the same license.

So what is it?

This repository is a joke proposal written in the style of an official internet standards document, known as an RFC. Real RFCs define how things on the internet should work, and HTTP status codes are one example: the 400 series covers client errors and the 500 series covers server errors. This project proposes a fictional 700 series of status codes meant to describe situations that are actually the developer's fault. The list reads like a comedy catalog of software development disasters. Proposed codes include 701 (Meh), 725 (It works on my machine), 726 (It's a feature, not a bug), 778 (Off By One Error), and 799 (End of the world). There are whole categories for predictable caching problems, syntax errors written in a hurry, errors caused by the developer being in various states of caffeination or otherwise, and errors that are really somebody else's problem, such as 784 (Management, obviously) and 782 (QA). The document is written with the same formal language and structure as a real RFC, complete with terminology definitions, a table of contents, author contact information, and references to actual standards. That straight-faced presentation against absurd content is most of the joke. The project was started at Railscamp, a community gathering for developers in Australia and New Zealand. The source is maintained as a Markdown file and converted into proper RFC formatting using a tool called mmark. The repository includes a Makefile so that running a single build command produces the formatted output. It is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0, meaning it can be shared and adapted freely for non-commercial purposes with attribution.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I'm building a developer API. Help me return an appropriate 7xx status code from joho/7xx-rfc and a funny JSON error body when the caller makes an obviously avoidable mistake.
Prompt 2
Using the 7xx-rfc code list as inspiration, write a Node.js Express middleware that intercepts common developer mistakes and responds with the matching 7xx status and a humorous message.
Prompt 3
Based on the 7xx-rfc, create a browser extension that shows a tooltip mapping common website errors to the closest matching 7xx developer-fault code.

Frequently asked questions

What is 7xx-rfc?

A joke internet standards document proposing a fictional HTTP 700-series of status codes for errors that are clearly the developer's fault, written with the same straight-faced formal language as a real RFC.

What language is 7xx-rfc written in?

Mainly Makefile. The stack also includes Markdown, mmark, Makefile.

What license does 7xx-rfc use?

You can share and adapt this for non-commercial purposes as long as you credit the original authors and share under the same license.

How hard is 7xx-rfc to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is 7xx-rfc for?

Mainly developer.

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