Error Handling

Choose the error contract, common scenarios, implementation patterns, testing and debugging, or recovery guidance.

AuthOS release 0.8.5 API v1 Latest-only documentation
Updated Jul 15, 2026
On this page

The AuthOS API uses standard HTTP status codes and structured error responses. Use this overview to choose reference material when inspecting a response and a focused guide when implementing or diagnosing a client.

Reference and task index

Goal Page
Look up the response envelope, status meanings, or error codes Error response reference
Diagnose authentication, authorization, validation, resource, or rate-limit failures Common error scenarios
Implement parsing, refresh, retry, logging, validation, and user messaging Client implementation patterns
Test handlers and correlate failures with requests and server logs Testing and debugging
Add circuit breaking or graceful degradation Recovery patterns

Core principles

  • Check the HTTP status before parsing a success payload.
  • Use error_code for program behavior and error for diagnostic context.
  • Log timestamps and request context without logging tokens or API keys.
  • Retry only failures that are safe and transient, with a strict limit.
  • Translate internal detail into safe, useful messages for end users.

Summary

Quick Reference

Always:

  • Check HTTP status code first
  • Parse error response JSON for details
  • Log errors with context
  • Show user-friendly messages

Never:

  • Ignore error responses
  • Expose raw errors to users
  • Retry indefinitely
  • Commit API keys to version control

Handle Specifically:

  • TOKEN_EXPIRED: Refresh and retry
  • RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED: Backoff and retry
  • ORGANIZATION_NOT_ACTIVE: Redirect to status page
  • SERVICE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED: Show upgrade prompt

Additional Resources