What a 404 tells the browser
When you open a web address, your browser sends a request to a server—the computer that stores or delivers the site. If the server can’t match the requested path, such as `/articles/example`, to a page or other resource, it can send back the HTTP status code 404 Not Found. The connection worked well enough for the server to answer; the problem is that it has no destination to return at that address.
That can happen because a link contains a typo, a page was deleted, or its address changed. If a site moves a page and fails to point the old address to the new one, bookmarks and links elsewhere may keep leading visitors to the 404.
Why the page may still exist
A 404 describes what the server says about one requested address, not necessarily whether similar content exists anywhere on the site. The page may have moved, or the address may be slightly wrong. In some cases, a site also returns 404 when it doesn’t want to reveal whether a restricted resource exists.
That’s why checking the address or navigating from the site’s home page can help. A 404 is a useful clue: your browser reached a server, but that exact route didn’t lead to a page it would provide.
