# 506 Variant Also Negotiates

> Content negotiation for the request results in a circular reference.

Source: https://apiguide.dev/status-codes/506
Class: server-error
Defined in: RFC 2295 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc2295.html>
Updated: 2026-07-09

## What does HTTP status code 506 mean?

The 506 Variant Also Negotiates status code indicates that the server has a configuration error where content negotiation results in a circular loop.

## When to use it in APIs

Rarely used; indicates server configuration issues where resources attempt to negotiate formats with themselves.

## How it compares to other codes

* **500 Internal Server Error**: A generic application code failure, whereas 506 is configuration-negotiation specific.