Reset Content

Overview

205 Reset Content means the request succeeded and the client should reset the document view that sent it to its initial state — most often clearing an input form so it is ready for the next entry.

It resembles 204 No Content in having no body, but where 204 means "leave the view as is," 205 is an active instruction to "reset the form/view."

When it happens

• Use it on survey or data-entry screens where, after submitting one record, you want the same form cleared to continue entering more.
• It fits form submissions in back-office or POS-style interfaces that enter similar data repeatedly.

Request / Response example

POST /survey HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

rating=5&comment=Great

HTTP/1.1 205 Reset Content
Content-Length: 0

In code

app.post('/survey', (req, res) => {
  saveSurvey(req.body);
  res.status(205).end(); // tell client to clear the form
});

@app.post('/survey')
def survey():
    save(request.form)
    return '', 205

Notes

• A 205 response must also carry no body, and Content-Length should be 0.
• Browser support for the reset behavior is inconsistent, so modern SPAs often clear the form with client-side JavaScript rather than relying on this status.

Related status codes

Specification