HTTP 404 Error Page

A 404 error is ten returned when pages have been moved or deleted. In the first case, a better response is to return a 301 Moved Permanently response, which can be configured in most server configuration files, or through URL rewriting; in the second case, a 410 Gone should be returned. Because these two options require special server configuration, most websites do not make use them.
404 errors should not be confused with DNS errors, which appear when the given URL refers to a server name that does not exist. A 404 error indicates that the server itself was found, but that the server was not able to retrieve the requested page.
Webservers can typically be configured to display a customised error page, including a more natural description, the parent site's branding or sometimes a search form. The protocol level phrase, which is hidden from the user, is rarely customized.