Accepted

# Quick Definition

The 202 Accepted status code indicates that the request has been received and understood, and that it has been accepted for processing. However, the processing has not been completed and may not have even started yet. The request might ultimately be acted upon or rejected once processing actually takes place.

# When Does a 202 Response Occur?

A 202 response is returned when the server needs to acknowledge receipt of a request but cannot process it immediately. This is the standard pattern for asynchronous operations where the work will be performed in the background -- such as generating a report, processing a video upload, or sending a batch of emails.

The key distinction from a 200 OK is that 202 explicitly communicates "I got your request and will work on it" rather than "I completed your request." The response body typically includes a job ID or status URL that the client can poll to check progress.

# Common Use Cases

• Asynchronous API operations like video encoding, PDF generation, or data export
• Job queues where tasks are enqueued for background workers to process
• Webhook delivery where the server accepts the payload and processes it asynchronously
• Batch processing endpoints that accept large datasets for later processing
• Email sending APIs that queue messages for delivery rather than sending synchronously

# Best Practices

1. Return a status endpoint -- Include a Location header or a URL in the response body where the client can poll for the processing result.
2. Include a job identifier -- Provide a unique ID (e.g., job_id) so the client can track and reference the async operation.
3. Validate before accepting -- Perform input validation synchronously and return 400/422 for invalid requests. Only return 202 for valid requests that will be processed.
4. Offer webhook callbacks -- In addition to polling, let clients register a callback URL to receive a notification when processing completes.
5. Document expected processing time -- Help clients set appropriate polling intervals by indicating estimated completion time in the response.

# HTTP Example

POST /api/reports/generate HTTP/1.1
Host: api.example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "type": "annual-summary",
  "year": 2025
}

HTTP/1.1 202 Accepted
Content-Type: application/json
Location: /api/reports/status/rpt_abc123

{
  "job_id": "rpt_abc123",
  "status": "queued",
  "status_url": "/api/reports/status/rpt_abc123",
  "estimated_time": "30s"
}

# Related Status Codes

# Frequently Asked Questions