how to throw HTTP 204 status code using jersey framework in RESTful web service?

Question

I am using jersey framework to develop RESTful web service. I am throwing various HTTP status codes with response using following code:

public class RestNoContentException extends WebApplicationException 
{
    public RestNoContentException(String message) 
    {
        super(Response.status(Status.NO_CONTENT)
            .entity(message).type("text/plain")
            .build());
        }
}

While testing the REST web service using Firefox Mozilla rest client tool, it is displaying 200 OK status instead of 204 NO CONTENT. I am handling the other status codes the same way I am doing for status code 204. Other status codes are appearing properly on rest client tool but when to show 204 status code, it is showing 200 OK status code.

Can someone please help me out here? what am I missing?

Answer 1

First, 204 is in the "Successful" category of response codes, so returning it as the result of an exception is a very, very weird thing to do.

Second, 204 means "No Content", meaning that the response contains no entity, but you put one in it. It's likely that Jersey is switching it to a 200 for you, which is basically identical to a 204 except that it contains a response entity.

Finally, you can get 204 responses very simply by a couple of built-in behaviors: void methods and null return values both map to a 204 response. Otherwise, simply return Response.status(204).build().

Answer 2

You shouldn't give entity if you want throw 204:

@GET
@Produces(MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN)
public Response test() {
    //return Response.status(Status.NO_CONTENT).entity("hello").build(); //this will throw 200
    return Response.status(Status.NO_CONTENT).build();
}