HTTP 423 — Locked
HTTP 423 (WebDAV) says the resource is under a lock held by someone else. Writes are refused until the lock releases or the caller proves ownership of the lock token.
When 423 shows up
- Collaborative editors locking a document during another user’s edit session.
- WebDAV workflows with long-running exclusive locks.
Mocking a 423 response
A response with this status can be faked end to end with a local mock rule — no backend changes needed. The configuration below mirrors the rule fields the ApiSimul editor uses (method, path, status, delay in milliseconds, response body):
{
"method": "GET",
"path": "/dav/doc/{{param.id}}",
"status": 423,
"delay": 200,
"enabled": true,
"body": {
"error": "locked",
"owner": "another-session"
}
}Dynamic placeholders such as {{random.name}}, {{string.uuid}} or {{number.int 1 100}} can appear inside the body to vary each response, which keeps client-side list rendering and retry logic honest during development.
Frequently asked questions
What does HTTP 423 mean?
The destination resource is locked and the request cannot proceed. Retry after the lock expires, or present the correct lock token.
How can I test a 423 response without a real backend?
Define a mock rule with the method and path your client requests and set the status to 423. The example configuration above returns this response after the listed delay, so the client exercises its 423 handling exactly as it would against a live server.
Related status codes
Need the response in your own project? Spin up rules for any status with the ApiSimul mock server, or browse every status code page.