HTTP 103 Early Hints — Meaning, Causes & How to Fix
Used to return some response headers before the final response, so the client can start preloading.
- Code
- 103
- Name
- Early Hints
- Class
- 1xx Informational
- Specification
- RFC 8297
- Cacheable by default
- Not applicable (interim response)
What HTTP 103 means
103 Early Hints lets a server send Link headers (such as rel=preload or rel=preconnect) before the final response is ready. While the server is still building the page, the browser can already start fetching critical CSS, fonts or connecting to other origins.
Common causes
- The server or CDN is configured to emit early hints for faster page loads.
How to fix it
For site owners
- Only hint resources the final page really uses — wrong hints waste bandwidth.
- Many CDNs can generate 103 responses from the
Linkheaders of earlier responses.
For visitors & developers
- Browsers that do not support 103 simply ignore it and wait for the final response.
SEO impact
No direct ranking effect. It can improve loading metrics such as Largest Contentful Paint for real users.
Example 103 response
HTTP/1.1 103 Early Hints
Link: </style.css>; rel=preload; as=style
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8Related status codes
Check or look up another code
Search and filter every code in the HTTP Status Codes tool, browse the full list by class, or read HTTP status codes explained: the complete developer guide.
Open HTTP Status Codes tool →All status codesFrequently asked questions
What does HTTP 103 mean?
HTTP 103 Early Hints is a 1xx Informational status code. Used to return some response headers before the final response, so the client can start preloading.
Does 103 Early Hints replace the 200 response?
No. It is an interim response; the real final response (for example 200 OK) always follows on the same request.
Which specification defines 103?
It is defined in RFC 8297.
Is a 103 response cacheable?
No. 103 is an interim (1xx) response; only the final response that follows can be cached.