1884149 - Inform user about server response with `Content-Length: 0` and status 200.

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Core :: Networking, enhancement, P2)

Description

[Manuel Bucher [:manuel]]

When the server responds with a 200 with a Content-Length: 0, we should tell the user that the server sent a 200 response with no content instead of just displaying a blank page. Failing to do so will display a blank page to the user leading them to think there's a bug in the browser when instead the page is empty.

Comment 1

[Masatoshi Kimura [:emk]]

Please make sure that the browser does not treat empty 200 responses as an error. (For example, it should not prevent people from downloading an empty file.)

Comment 2

[Sean Kim [:sekim]]

Changing to P2 as it is relatively simple to implement based on Bug 1325876.

Comment 3

[Sean Kim [:sekim]]

For this bug, should we create a netwarning page similar to about:config (with proceed button)?

Comment 4

[Sean Kim [:sekim]]

Attachment: WIP: Bug 1884149 - Inform user about server response with Content-Length: 0 and status 200

Comment 5

[Masatoshi Kimura [:emk]]

This change has a compatibility risk because other browsers do not implement this (that is, they just show a blank page).

Comment 6

[Manuel Bucher [:manuel]]

To give some context I think I opened this bug also due to Bug 1873601, where google search returned an empty page with status code 200. However the response wasn't completely empty and as emk points out it is a valid response to give.

There is a slight chance to break stuff here. Therefore I'm inclined to agree with emk on WONTFIX.

I don't know if we really want to show this error page. Please bring this up with the networking team and decide WONTFIXing or fixing.

regarding needinfo:

For this bug, should we create a netwarning page similar to about:config (with proceed button)?

I don't think this is necessary. A consistent design with 3xx and 4xx pages would be good. ctrl+s should still save an empty page. A retry button should be enough (and back button).

Comment 7

[Sean Kim [:sekim]]

Given that other browsers do not have this, I think WONTFIX is the best option here.

Comment 8

[Valentin Gosu [:valentin]]

I think this feature would be good for webcompat when servers return blank - or blank looking pages only for Firefox.
It doesn't have to be an error page, it could be a notification banner instead.
That being said, I think in the absence of a webcompat issue, this feature isn't that useful. WONTFIX is fine.

Comment 9

[Sean Kim [:sekim]]

Marking the bug as WONTFIX.