Updating HTTP status code documentation to use 404 instead of 503

apis/v1alpha2/httproute_types.go

@@ -158,6 +158,9 @@ type HTTPRouteRule struct {
 	// matching precedence MUST be granted to the first matching rule meeting
 	// the above criteria.
 	//
+	// When no rules matching a request have been successfully attached to the
+	// parent a request is coming from, a HTTP 404 status code MUST be returned.
+	//
 	// +optional
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=8
 	// +kubebuilder:default={{path:{ type: "PathPrefix", value: "/"}}}
@@ -187,13 +190,25 @@ type HTTPRouteRule struct {
 
 	// BackendRefs defines the backend(s) where matching requests should be
 	// sent.
-
-	// If unspecified or invalid (refers to a non-existent resource or a Service
-	// with no endpoints), the rule performs no forwarding. If there are also no
-	// filters specified that would result in a response being sent, a HTTP 503
-	// status code is returned. 503 responses must be sent so that the overall
-	// weight is respected; if an invalid backend is requested to have 80% of
-	// requests, then 80% of requests must get a 503 instead.
+	//
+	// A 404 status code MUST be returned if there are no BackendRefs or filters
+	// specified that would result in a response being sent.
+	//
+	// A BackendRef is considered invalid when it refers to:
+	//
+	// * an unknown or unsupported kind of resource
+	// * a resource that does not exist
+	// * a resource in another namespace when the reference has not been
+	//   explicitly allowed by a ReferencePolicy (or equivalent concept).
+	//
+	// When a BackendRef is invalid, 404 status codes MUST be returned for
+	// requests that would have otherwise been routed to an invalid backend. If
+	// multiple backends are specified, and some are invalid, the proportion of
+	// requests that would otherwise have been routed to an invalid backend
+	// MUST receive a 404 status code.
+	//
+	// When a BackendRef refers to a Service that has no ready endpoints, it is
+	// recommended to return a 503 status code.
 	//
 	// Support: Core for Kubernetes Service
 	// Support: Custom for any other resource

apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go

@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ type TLSRouteRule struct {
 	// a Service with no endpoints), the rule performs no forwarding; if no
 	// filters are specified that would result in a response being sent, the
 	// underlying implementation must actively reject request attempts to this
-	// backend, by rejecting the connection or returning a 503 status code.
+	// backend, by rejecting the connection or returning a 404 status code.
 	// Request rejections must respect weight; if an invalid backend is
 	// requested to have 80% of requests, then 80% of requests must be rejected
 	// instead.

conformance/tests/httproute-invalid-reference-policy.go

@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ var HTTPRouteInvalidReferencePolicy = suite.ConformanceTest{
 					Method: "GET",
 					Path:   "/v2",
 				},
-				StatusCode: 503,
+				StatusCode: 404,
 			})
 		})
 	},

site-src/v1alpha2/api-types/httproute.md

@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ Specifying a core filter multiple times has unspecified or custom conformance.
 
 BackendRefs defines API objects where matching requests should be sent. If
 unspecified, the rule performs no forwarding. If unspecified and no filters
-are specified that would result in a response being sent, a 503 error code
+are specified that would result in a response being sent, a 404 error code
 is returned.
 
 The following example forwards HTTP requests for prefix `/bar` to service