How to complete the challenge `PUT /api/todos/{id} not found (404)`

How to complete the challenge `PUT /api/todos/{id} not found (404)`

By Alan RichardsonPublished 2026-08-01

Issue a PUT request to /api/todos/{id} where the URL id does not exist, and do not include an id in the request body.

This is an update attempt against a specific URL resource. Since that resource does not exist, the response should be 404 Not Found.

Basic Instructions

Send PUT /api/todos/{id} where {id} does not exist
Add an X-CHALLENGER header to track challenge completion
Set Content-Type to application/json
Do not include an id field in the JSON payload
Include a valid title
Verify the response status is 404

Example body:

{
  "title": "missing todo",
  "doneStatus": false,
  "description": "URL id does not exist"
}

Try it now

PUT /api/todos/{id} with a missing URL id and no body id

Lessons Learned

A valid PUT body cannot update a resource id that does not exist.
404 Not Found here is about the target path resource, not body validation.
Missing-resource update tests should keep the payload valid so the status is unambiguous.

Suggested Experiments

Reuse the same payload against an existing id and compare 200 OK with the missing-id 404 Not Found.
Create a new todo after the failed update and check that the failed PUT did not create that id.