> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.electronhub.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Error Handling

> Common errors and how to handle them gracefully

This guide covers the error codes you might encounter when using the Electron Hub API, along with solutions and best practices for handling them.

## HTTP Status Codes

The Electron Hub API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate the success or failure of requests.

| Code    | Status                | Description                          |
| ------- | --------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **200** | OK                    | Request successful                   |
| **400** | Bad Request           | Invalid request format or parameters |
| **401** | Unauthorized          | Invalid or missing API key           |
| **403** | Forbidden             | API key lacks required permissions   |
| **404** | Not Found             | Endpoint or resource not found       |
| **429** | Too Many Requests     | Rate limit exceeded                  |
| **500** | Internal Server Error | Server-side error                    |
| **503** | Service Unavailable   | Service temporarily unavailable      |

## Common Error Codes

### 401 - Authentication Errors

**Invalid API Key**

* **Cause:** The API key is incorrect, missing, or malformed
* **Solution:** Verify your API key from the [Electron Hub Console](https://app.electronhub.ai)

**Expired API Key**

* **Cause:** Your API key has been revoked or expired
* **Solution:** Generate a new API key from your dashboard

### 429 - Rate Limit Errors

**Request Rate Limit**

* **Cause:** Too many requests sent in a short time period
* **Solution:** Implement exponential backoff and respect rate limits

**Token Rate Limit**

* **Cause:** Token usage has exceeded your plan limits
* **Solution:** Upgrade your plan or wait for the limit to reset

### 400 - Bad Request Errors

**Invalid Model**

* **Cause:** The specified model is not available or misspelled
* **Solution:** Check the [models documentation](/models/overview) for available models

**Invalid Parameters**

* **Cause:** Request parameters are missing or invalid
* **Solution:** Verify all required parameters are provided with correct types

**Content Policy Violation**

* **Cause:** Input content violates usage policies
* **Solution:** Review and modify your content to comply with policies

### 402 - Payment Required

**Insufficient Credits**

* **Cause:** Your account has insufficient credits or balance
* **Solution:** Purchase additional credits or upgrade your plan

**Premium Model Access**

* **Cause:** Attempting to use a premium model without subscription
* **Solution:** Upgrade to a plan that includes premium model access

### 500 - Server Errors

**Internal Server Error**

* **Cause:** Unexpected error on our servers
* **Solution:** Retry with exponential backoff; contact support if persistent

### 503 - Service Unavailable

**Model Temporarily Unavailable**

* **Cause:** The requested model is temporarily offline
* **Solution:** Try again later or use an alternative model

## Error Response Format

All errors return a consistent JSON envelope with a top-level `error` object:

```json theme={null}
{
  "error": {
    "message": "Description of the error",
    "type": "invalid_request_error",
    "param": "parameter_name",
    "code": 400
  }
}
```

* `message` — human-readable description (always present).
* `type` — error category (e.g. `invalid_request_error`).
* `param` — the offending parameter, or `null`.
* `code` — the HTTP status code, or `null`.

The Anthropic-compatible `/v1/messages` endpoint instead returns Anthropic's native error shape: `{"type": "error", "error": {"type": "...", "message": "..."}}`.

## Best Practices

### Implement Retry Logic

```javascript theme={null}
async function makeAPICall(requestFn, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxRetries; attempt++) {
    try {
      return await requestFn();
    } catch (error) {
      if (error.status >= 400 && error.status < 500 && error.status !== 429) {
        throw error; // Don't retry client errors (except rate limits)
      }
      
      if (attempt === maxRetries) {
        throw error;
      }
      
      // Exponential backoff
      const delay = Math.pow(2, attempt) * 1000;
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, delay));
    }
  }
}
```

### Handle Specific Error Types

```javascript theme={null}
try {
  const response = await electronhubAPI.chat.completions.create({
    model: 'gpt-4',
    messages: messages
  });
} catch (error) {
  switch (error.status) {
    case 401:
      console.error('Invalid API key');
      break;
    case 429:
      console.error('Rate limit exceeded');
      break;
    case 400:
      console.error('Invalid request:', error.message);
      break;
    default:
      console.error('API error:', error.message);
  }
}
```

### Monitor Rate Limits

Check response headers for rate limit information:

```javascript theme={null}
const response = await fetch('https://api.electronhub.ai/v1/chat/completions', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' },
  body: JSON.stringify(requestData)
});

console.log('Rate limit remaining:', response.headers.get('x-ratelimit-remaining'));
console.log('Rate limit reset:', response.headers.get('x-ratelimit-reset'));
```

## Getting Help

If you encounter persistent errors or need assistance:

* Check our [status page](https://status.electronhub.ai) for service updates
* Join our [Discord community](https://discord.com/invite/electronhub) for help
* Contact support at [support@electronhub.ai](mailto:support@electronhub.ai)
* Review our [best practices guide](/guides/best-practices) for optimization tips