system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[ELI5] Why do most software programs (web browsers, for example) display an error code that you have to look up instead of just telling you the error?
gpt
The use of error codes is considered a good practice in programming, because it allows different errors to be strictly defined and distinguished from one another. The name and explanation of that error can then be easily localized.

For example, HTTP error "404" has a detailed specification indicating when it should be issued. It happens to be called "Not Found," but a web site may choose to return a page with a different name and an easy-to-understand explanation if it wants to. Or a browser can choose to provide that information, even translate it based on the user's language. Either way, behind the scenes the web server and browser both understand just what is meant by "404."