Node.js Http2ServerResponse.statusMessage Method

Last Updated : 4 Aug, 2026

The Http2ServerResponse.statusMessage property in Node.js sets or returns the HTTP status message for a server response. It is used when you need to send a custom status text along with the response status code.

  • It stores the status message sent with the response.
  • It is mainly used to provide a custom text description for the status code.
  • The property is available on Http2ServerResponse objects.
  • It is useful when working with HTTP/2 responses that need clear status information.

Syntax:

response.statusMessage

Where

  • response – The Http2ServerResponse object.
  • statusMessage – The HTTP status message property (ignored in HTTP/2).

Return Value: Returns the current HTTP status message as a string. It has no effect in HTTP/2.

Example 1:

JavaScript 
// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// Http2ServerResponse.statusMessage method
const http2 = require('http2');
const fs = require('fs');

// Private key and public certificate for access
const options = {
    key: fs.readFileSync('private-key.pem'),
    cert: fs.readFileSync('public-cert.pem'),
};

// Request and response handler
const http2Handlers = (request, response) => {

    // Getting status code
    // using response.statusMessage method
    const value = response.statusMessage;

    // Display the display
    console.log("status message : " + value)
};

// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options, http2Handlers);

server.on('stream', (stream, requestheader) => {
    stream.write('hello ');

    // Getting all information of this http2stream object
    // by using state method
    const status = stream.state;

    stream.end("priority weight : " + status.weight);

    // Stopping the server
    // by using the close() method
    server.close(() => {
        console.log("server destroyed");
    })
});

server.listen(8000);

// Creating and initializing client
// by using tls.connect() method
const client = http2.connect('http://localhost:8000');

const req = client.request({ 
  ':method': 'GET', ':path': '/' });

req.on('data', (data) => {
    console.log('Received: %s ',
    data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm, ""));
});

req.on('end', () => {
    client.close(() => {
        console.log("client destroyed");
    })
});

Output:

status message :
(node:656) UnsupportedWarning: Status message is 
not supported by HTTP/2 (RFC7540 8.1.2.4)
Received: hello
Received: priority weight : 16
client destroyed
server destroyed

Example 2:

JavaScript 
// Node.js program to demonstrate the
// Http2ServerResponse.statusMessage method
const http2 = require('http2');
const fs = require('fs');
const { RSA_NO_PADDING } = require('constants');

// Private key and public certificate for access
const options = {
    key: fs.readFileSync('private-key.pem'),
    cert: fs.readFileSync('public-cert.pem'),
};

// Request and response handler
const http2Handlers = (request, response) => {

    // Getting status code
    // using response.statusMessage method
    const value = response.statusMessage;

    // Display the display
    response.end("status message : " + value)
};

// Creating and initializing server
// by using http2.createServer() method
const server = http2.createServer(options, http2Handlers);

server.on('stream', (stream, requestHeaders) => {

    // Getting all information of this http2stream object
    // by using state method
    const status = stream.state;

    stream.end("The sum weight of all Http2Stream : " + 
    status.sumDependencyWeight);

    // Stopping the server
    // by using the close() method
    server.close(() => {
        console.log("server destroyed");
    })
});

server.listen(8000);

// Creating and initializing client
// by using tls.connect() method
const client = http2.connect('http://localhost:8000');

const req = client.request({ ':method': 'GET', 
':path': '/www.geeksforgeeks.org' });

req.on('data', (data) => {
    console.log('Received: %s ',
    data.toString().replace(/(\n)/gm, ""));
});

req.on('end', () => {
    client.close(() => {
        console.log("client destroyed");
    })
});

Output:

(node:8360) UnsupportedWarning: Status message is not supported 
by HTTP/2 (RFC7540 8.1.2.4)
Received: status message :
client destroyed
server destroyed

Use Cases of Http2ServerResponse.statusMessage Property

  • Reading the current HTTP status message.
  • Maintaining compatibility with code written for HTTP/1.1.
  • Inspecting or debugging response-related code.
  • Supporting libraries that reference the statusMessage property.

Reference: https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v12.x/docs/api/http2.html#http2_response_statusmessage

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