Why am I seeing 404 error code and how can I find the missing resource?

[charlesrich]

My site keeps throwing a 404 error code for links that used to work what are the best ways to diagnose whether it’s a bad URL, deleted page, routing problem, or rewrite/redirect issue, and how do I fix broken links?

 

[captainghost]

A 404 basically means the server can’t find the resource you’re asking for. First thing you should check is whether the URL actually exists in your file structure or CMS. Sometimes even a small typo or uppercase/lowercase mismatch triggers it. Also check if someone accidentally deleted or moved the page without updating the internal links. If you're using WordPress, resaving permalinks usually fixes half the routing issues.

 

[AnnP111966]

Bro I swear 404 is like the website’s way of saying “I don’t know her.”
If the link worked earlier, chances are someone moved the page or changed the slug. Been there. I once renamed a page and forgot every other link on my site. Spent 2 hours blaming my hosting before realizing it was me. So yeah… double-check your URLs first

 

[ethancarter]

It’s almost always a redirect issue. People overcomplicate it. Just check your .htaccess or routing file and see if something is overwriting the rules. Broken redirects are the #1 reason for sudden 404s.

 

[megamind]

No dude, that’s not true for “almost always.” Most 404s happen because pages get deleted or slugs changed. Redirect issues come later. You can’t just assume everything is the redirect file’s fault.

 

[ethancarter]

Okay professor I’m literally saying START with redirects if the URL used to work. Chill.

 

[rebeccareed]

Run your site through a broken-link checker like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs. It will show you exactly which URLs fail and where they’re linked from. Once you know that, either recreate the missing page, fix the link, or add a 301 redirect to the correct location. Pretty simple workflow.

 

[marcowayne]

404s happen when your frontend and backend stop talking to each other like a toxic couple.
If the URL existed earlier, check:

• Did you change hosting?
• Did some plugin update nuke your routes?
• Did someone “clean up” the site and accidentally delete half your pages? (Happened at my office last week.)

Just check logs, routing rules, and redirects. The missing resource will show somewhere.