Handling API Errors
Strategies for robust error management in API integrations
Learn how to effectively handle and respond to different types of API errors, implement retry mechanisms, and build resilient applications.
Common Error Types
Understand different error categories including authentication errors, rate limit errors, and server-side errors.
Error Response Format
Our API returns errors in a consistent JSON format:
json
{
"error": {
"code": "invalid_request",
"message": "The request was invalid.",
"details": [
{
"field": "email",
"issue": "format",
"description": "Invalid email format"
}
]
}
}
HTTP Status Codes
Common HTTP status codes returned by our API:
- 400 Bad Request: Invalid request parameters
- 401 Unauthorized: Missing or invalid authentication
- 403 Forbidden: Valid authentication but insufficient permissions
- 404 Not Found: Requested resource doesn't exist
- 429 Too Many Requests: Rate limit exceeded
- 500 Server Error: Internal server error
Implementing Retry Logic
Use exponential backoff retry logic for recoverable errors:
- Start with a base delay (e.g., 1 second)
- After each failed attempt, multiply the delay by a factor (e.g., 2)
- Add random jitter to prevent request clustering
- Set a maximum retry count and maximum delay
- Only retry for appropriate status codes (429, 503)
Logging and Monitoring
Implement comprehensive logging for API interactions:
- Log all API requests and responses
- Include correlation IDs for request tracking
- Set up alerts for unusual error rates
- Use our API Dashboard to monitor error patterns
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