Problem Details (RFC 7807)
Return standardized error responses.
Problem Details (RFC 7807) is a free Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
A Standard for API Errors
Every team inventing its own error JSON leads to chaos for API consumers. RFC 7807 defines Problem Details — a standard, machine-readable error format with a media type of application/problem+json.
The Problem Details Fields
The standard defines a small set of fields:
type— a URI identifying the problem kindtitle— short, human-readable summarystatus— the HTTP status codedetail— specifics for this occurrenceinstance— URI of the specific occurrence
Spring’s ProblemDetail
Spring Framework 6 / Boot 3 ship a built-in ProblemDetail class that models RFC 7807 directly. You construct it with a status and customize the standard fields.
ProblemDetail pd = ProblemDetail.forStatusAndDetail(
HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND, "Order 42 was not found");
pd.setTitle("Order Not Found");
pd.setType(URI.create("https://errors.example.com/order-not-found"));Returning ProblemDetail
Return a ProblemDetail from a controller or exception handler. Spring serializes it as application/problem+json with the right status.
@ExceptionHandler(OrderNotFoundException.class)
public ProblemDetail handle(OrderNotFoundException ex) {
ProblemDetail pd = ProblemDetail.forStatusAndDetail(
HttpStatus.NOT_FOUND, ex.getMessage());
pd.setTitle("Order Not Found");
return pd;
}Enabling Built-in Problem Details
Spring Boot can convert its own framework exceptions into Problem Details automatically when you enable the property, giving consistent errors even for built-in failures.
spring:
mvc:
problemdetails:
enabled: trueExtending with Custom Properties
RFC 7807 permits extension members. Add domain-specific data — an error code, a correlation id, or field errors — via setProperty.
pd.setProperty("errorCode", "ORDER_NOT_FOUND");
pd.setProperty("correlationId", correlationId);
pd.setProperty("timestamp", Instant.now());ResponseEntityExceptionHandler
Extend ResponseEntityExceptionHandler in your @ControllerAdvice to inherit handlers for Spring’s standard exceptions, then override the hooks to shape them as Problem Details.
@RestControllerAdvice
public class GlobalExceptionHandler extends ResponseEntityExceptionHandler {
// override protected handle... methods to customize
}Problem Details for Validation
Override the validation hook to express field errors as a Problem Details body with an extension array, giving clients structured, standard validation feedback.
@Override
protected ResponseEntity<Object> handleMethodArgumentNotValid(
MethodArgumentNotValidException ex, HttpHeaders h,
HttpStatusCode status, WebRequest req) {
ProblemDetail pd = ProblemDetail.forStatus(HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
pd.setTitle("Validation Failed");
pd.setProperty("errors", ex.getBindingResult().getFieldErrors().stream()
.map(e -> Map.of("field", e.getField(), "message", e.getDefaultMessage()))
.toList());
return ResponseEntity.badRequest().body(pd);
}Why the type URI Matters
The type URI gives each problem a stable identity clients can branch on — more robust than parsing human text. Point it at documentation describing the error and how to recover.
Content Negotiation
Problem Details responses carry the application/problem+json content type. Clients can detect this media type to distinguish structured errors from normal success payloads.
HTTP/1.1 404 Not Found
Content-Type: application/problem+json
{ "type": "...", "title": "Order Not Found", "status": 404, "detail": "..." }Adopting the Standard
Using Problem Details makes your API errors predictable and interoperable:
- One shape across all endpoints and frameworks
- Machine-readable
typefor client logic - Extensible for domain-specific detail
Quick Check
Test your understanding of RFC 7807.
Recap
Problem Details standardize API errors.
- RFC 7807 defines
type,title,status,detail,instance - Spring’s
ProblemDetailmodels it; served asapplication/problem+json - Enable built-in conversion via
spring.mvc.problemdetails.enabled - Add extension members with
setProperty - Extend
ResponseEntityExceptionHandlerto shape framework errors
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Problem Details (RFC 7807)” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Problem Details (RFC 7807)” is free to read here on the web, and the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Problem Details (RFC 7807)”?
Return standardized error responses. You practise Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs?
No prior experience is required. Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Problem Details (RFC 7807)” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson?
Yes. Every Spring Boot 4 Microservices & REST APIs lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Bean Validation with @Valid
- Custom Validators
- @ControllerAdvice and @ExceptionHandler
- Problem Details (RFC 7807)