[COUCHDB-484] validate_doc_update returns an HTTP 500 if validation fails

• Type: Bug
• Status: Closed
• Priority: Major
• Resolution: Not A Problem
• Affects Version/s: 0.9.1
• Component/s: HTTP Interface
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: Curt Arnold
• Created: 24/Aug/09 20:24
• Updated: 04/Jan/10 02:47
• Resolved: 01/Jan/10 20:32

Description

If a validate_doc_update method throws an exception to indicate that the proposed update is unacceptable, the http interface will return an 500 status code which indicates that the server is behaving unexpectedly. However, this situation is an error on the client side and should return a 4xx. To me, looks like 403 would be the appropriate status code. From http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2616.txt:

10.4.4 403 Forbidden

The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it.
Authorization will not help and the request SHOULD NOT be repeated.
If the request method was not HEAD and the server wishes to make
public why the request has not been fulfilled, it SHOULD describe the
reason for the refusal in the entity. If the server does not wish to
make this information available to the client, the status code 404
(Not Found) can be used instead.

Issue Links

• relates to: COUCHDB-410 JavaScript errors in validate_doc_update should be handled more gracefully