205 Reset Content

Quick Reference

What 205 Reset Content Means

HTTP 205 Reset Content signals that the server successfully processed the request and that the client should reset the user interface element that submitted the request. In practice, for a form submission, this means clear the form fields so the user can enter new data immediately.

RFC 9110 defines the intent clearly: the response is directed at resetting the “document view” that caused the request, returning it to a state that allows the user to initiate another action. This is distinct from 204 No Content, which means “success, stay where you are and do nothing.” 205 means “success, and actively reset the relevant UI component.”

Like 204, a 205 response MUST NOT include a message body. The response consists of headers only. Any body content sent after the headers should be discarded by the client.

Browser Behavior

The HTML specification describes 205 as a trigger to reset the form that submitted the request. When a browser form submits via a standard HTML form submission (not AJAX) and receives 205:

• The form fields are cleared to their default values (empty text inputs, deselected checkboxes, etc.)
• The page does not navigate — the current URL stays the same
• No body is rendered (because 205 has no body)

This behavior is documented in the HTML living standard but browser support has been inconsistent historically. Chrome and Firefox do reset forms on 205 for standard form submissions. However, the behavior is rarely relied upon in production applications because AJAX-based form handling gives developers direct control over form state.

For AJAX submissions, the browser does not automatically reset anything on a 205. The JavaScript code must handle the reset explicitly. The 205 status code is a semantic signal that the developer can act on:

const res = await fetch('/api/comments', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: new FormData(form)
});

if (res.status === 205) {
  form.reset(); // clear all fields
  showSuccessMessage('Comment posted!');
} else if (res.status === 422) {
  showValidationErrors(await res.json());
}

Practical Use Cases

Comment or feedback forms: After a user submits a comment, the form should clear so they can submit another without manually deleting their input. 205 communicates this intent to the client.

Search forms: A search tool that submits a query and receives results elsewhere (in another panel or area) may benefit from resetting the search input after each submission, ready for the next query.

Data entry forms: Point-of-sale systems, inventory entry tools, and similar applications where users submit the same form structure repeatedly benefit from automatic clearing after each successful submission.

Chat message input: After sending a chat message, the input box should clear. The server processing the message can return 205 to indicate the input should reset.

Returning 205 in Common Frameworks

Express.js

app.post('/api/comments', async (req, res) => {
  await Comment.create({
    text: req.body.text,
    userId: req.user.id
  });
  res.sendStatus(205); // signals: reset the form
});

Django

from django.http import HttpResponse

def submit_comment(request):
    if request.method == 'POST':
        Comment.objects.create(
            text=request.POST['text'],
            user=request.user
        )
        return HttpResponse(status=205)  # reset the form

FastAPI

from fastapi import Response

@app.post("/comments", status_code=205)
async def create_comment(comment: CommentSchema, response: Response):
    await db.comments.insert(comment.dict())
    # Return None with 205 — reset the form

Choosing Between 200, 204, and 205

The choice between these three 2xx codes for a successful POST or PUT comes down to what the client should do after the request:

• 200 OK — Use when you have a meaningful response body to return (the created/updated resource, a confirmation payload, etc.)
• 204 No Content — Use when success needs no response body and no UI reset: silent background saves, DELETE operations, heartbeat pings.
• 205 Reset Content — Use when success needs no response body but the initiating UI element should be reset: entry forms meant for repeated submission.

In practice, many APIs return 200 with an empty body or a minimal confirmation object for all three cases. 204 and 205 are more semantically precise but require client-side handling of the status code. Whether the semantic precision is worth the implementation cost depends on the API contract and client sophistication.

205 vs Related Status Codes

Frequently Asked Questions