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Error Response Format

All API errors return a consistent JSON structure with an HTTP status code and a descriptive message: 
{
  "message": "Error description explaining what went wrong"
}
The message field provides detailed information about the nature of the error, helping you understand what went wrong and how to fix it.

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HTTP Status Codes

The AhaSend API uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate the success or failure of requests:

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2xx Success

  • 200 OK - Request succeeded
  • 201 Created - Resource created successfully

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4xx Client Errors

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400 Bad Request

Returned when the request is malformed or contains invalid parameters.
Common causes include invalid JSON, missing required fields, or parameters that don’t meet validation requirements.
Example scenarios:
  • Invalid UUID format for account_id or resource IDs
  • Malformed email addresses
  • Invalid time formats (expecting RFC3339)
  • Parameters outside allowed ranges (e.g., limit not between 1-100)
  • Invalid domain names or URLs
  • Malformed request body
{
  "message": "invalid account_id"
}

{
  "message": "invalid from_time, provide a valid RFC3339 time string"
}

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401 Unauthorized

Authentication failed or is missing. Common causes:
  • Missing Authorization header
  • Invalid API key format (must be Bearer <api_key>)
  • API key doesn’t exist or has been revoked
  • Account associated with API key is suspended
  • API key doesn’t belong to the specified account
{
  "message": "Missing or malformed bearer token"
}

{
  "message": "Invalid API key"
}

{
  "message": "Account is suspended"
}

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403 Forbidden

Authentication succeeded, but you don’t have permission to access the resource.
This typically occurs when your API key doesn’t have the required scopes for the operation you’re trying to perform.
Common causes:
  • API key lacks required scopes (e.g., trying to delete domains without domains:delete scope)
  • Attempting to access resources outside your API key’s domain restrictions
  • Insufficient permissions for specific operations
{
  "message": "Insufficient permissions for the required scope"
}

{
  "message": "api key does not have sufficient permissions to read webhooks"
}

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404 Not Found

The requested resource doesn’t exist or you don’t have access to it. Common scenarios:
  • Resource ID doesn’t exist
  • Resource was deleted
  • Resource belongs to a different account
{
  "message": "account not found"
}

{
  "message": "domain not found"
}

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409 Conflict

The request conflicts with the current state of the resource. Common causes:
  • Idempotency conflicts: Another request with the same idempotency key is already in progress
  • Resource conflicts: Trying to create a resource that already exists (e.g., duplicate domain)
{
  "message": "A request with this idempotency key is already in progress"
}

{
  "message": "domain already exists"
}

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412 Precondition Failed

Returned for failed idempotency conditions. 
{
  "message": "The original request with this idempotency key failed and cannot be retried"
}

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429 Too Many Requests

You’ve exceeded the API rate limits.
When you receive this error, wait before making additional requests. Check the response headers for rate limit information.
{
  "message": "Rate limit exceeded"
}

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5xx Server Errors

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500 Internal Server Error

An unexpected server error occurred on our side (these are rare).
These errors indicate a problem on our end. If you consistently receive 500 errors, please contact support.
{
  "message": "Internal server error"
}

{
  "message": "internal server error, please try again later"
}

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Validation Errors

When request validation fails, you’ll receive a 400 Bad Request with a descriptive message:

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Request Body Validation

{
  "message": "invalid request body"
}

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Field-Specific Validation

The API provides specific validation messages for individual fields: 
{
  "message": "invalid domain name, please provider a valid fully qualified domain name."
}

{
  "message": "limit must be between 1 and 100"
}

{
  "message": "domain is banned to protect our network from abuse and spammers. if you think this is an error please contact support"
}

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Scope and Permission Errors

When your API key doesn’t have sufficient permissions:

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Missing Scopes

{
  "message": "sender domain not found in api key scopes"
}

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Invalid API Key Context

{
  "message": "invalid api key context"
}

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Best Practices

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Error Handling

  • Always check the HTTP status code first
  • Parse the message field for detailed error information
  • Implement appropriate retry logic for 5xx errors
  • Respect rate limits when receiving 429 responses

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Common Fixes

  • 400 errors: Validate your request parameters and JSON structure
  • 401 errors: Check your API key and authentication headers
  • 403 errors: Verify your API key has the required scopes
  • 404 errors: Confirm the resource exists and belongs to your account
  • 429 errors: Implement exponential backoff in your retry logic
Error messages are designed to be descriptive and actionable. They provide specific guidance on what needs to be corrected in your request.
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