What is 304 Not Modified?

304 Not Modified - Understanding This Common Web Technology Term: In the world of web technology, the term "304 Not Modified" appears frequently. It refers to a status code that a browser receives from a server when it requests a specific resource. In other words, it's an HTTP response code that indicates the requested content has not been modified since it was last accessed or cached.

The most common use case for 304 Not Modified is when browsers make conditional requests for resources such as images, CSS files, or JavaScript files. The server can respond with this code if the resource hasn't been updated since the last time it was accessed by that particular browser.

So why is this important? Simply put, using 304 Not Modified lets browsers load content faster and more efficiently because they don't have to download resources again if they haven't changed since their last request. Instead, they can use their cached version of the content which saves both bandwidth and loading time.