server: clarify documentation around setting and sending headers and ServerStream errors

server.go

@@ -1801,12 +1801,26 @@ func (s *Server) getCodec(contentSubtype string) baseCodec {
 	return codec
 }
 
-// SetHeader sets the header metadata.
-// When called multiple times, all the provided metadata will be merged.
-// All the metadata will be sent out when one of the following happens:
-//  - grpc.SendHeader() is called;
-//  - The first response is sent out;
-//  - An RPC status is sent out (error or success).
+// SetHeader sets the header metadata to be sent from the server to the client.
+// The context provided must be the context passed to the server's handler.
+//
+// Streaming RPCs should prefer the SetHeader method of the ServerStream.
+//
+// When called multiple times, all the provided metadata will be merged.  All
+// the metadata will be sent out when one of the following happens:
+//
+// - grpc.SendHeader is called, or for streaming handlers, stream.SendHeader.
+// - The first response message is sent.  For unary handlers, this occurs when
+//   the handler returns; for streaming handlers, this can happen when stream's
+//   SendMsg method is called.
+// - An RPC status is sent out (error or success).  This occurs when the handler
+//   returns.
+//
+// SetHeader will fail if called after any of the events above.
+//
+// The error returned is compatible with the status package.  However, the
+// status code will often not match the RPC status as seen by the client
+// application, and therefore, should not be relied upon for this purpose.
 func SetHeader(ctx context.Context, md metadata.MD) error {
 	if md.Len() == 0 {
 		return nil
@@ -1818,8 +1832,14 @@ func SetHeader(ctx context.Context, md metadata.MD) error {
 	return stream.SetHeader(md)
 }
 
-// SendHeader sends header metadata. It may be called at most once.
-// The provided md and headers set by SetHeader() will be sent.
+// SendHeader sends header metadata. It may be called at most once, and may not
+// be called after any event that causes headers to be sent (see SetHeader for
+// a complete list).  The provided md and headers set by SetHeader() will be
+// sent.
+//
+// The error returned is compatible with the status package.  However, the
+// status code will often not match the RPC status as seen by the client
+// application, and therefore, should not be relied upon for this purpose.
 func SendHeader(ctx context.Context, md metadata.MD) error {
 	stream := ServerTransportStreamFromContext(ctx)
 	if stream == nil {
@@ -1833,6 +1853,10 @@ func SendHeader(ctx context.Context, md metadata.MD) error {
 
 // SetTrailer sets the trailer metadata that will be sent when an RPC returns.
 // When called more than once, all the provided metadata will be merged.
+//
+// The error returned is compatible with the status package.  However, the
+// status code will often not match the RPC status as seen by the client
+// application, and therefore, should not be relied upon for this purpose.
 func SetTrailer(ctx context.Context, md metadata.MD) error {
 	if md.Len() == 0 {
 		return nil

stream.go

@@ -1370,8 +1370,10 @@ func (as *addrConnStream) finish(err error) {
 
 // ServerStream defines the server-side behavior of a streaming RPC.
 //
-// All errors returned from ServerStream methods are compatible with the
-// status package.
+// Errors returned from ServerStream methods are compatible with the status
+// package.  However, the status code will often not match the RPC status as
+// seen by the client application, and therefore, should not be relied upon for
+// this purpose.
 type ServerStream interface {
 	// SetHeader sets the header metadata. It may be called multiple times.
 	// When call multiple times, all the provided metadata will be merged.