> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://rawctx.gitbook.io/rawctx-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://rawctx.gitbook.io/rawctx-docs/api-reference/rawctx-http-api/authentication-and-errors.md).

# Authentication and errors

## Credential types

| Credential      | Intended use                                                               |
| --------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| User API token  | CLI, manager review, lifecycle events, settings, export, policy            |
| Application JWT | Runtime create/read/evidence/reconciliation/proof work for one application |
| Browser session | Hub BFF calls from the rawctx web application                              |

Application scopes include `answer_audit:create`, `answer_audit:read`, `answer_audit:evidence:read`, `answer_audit:evidence:write`, `answer_audit:reconcile`, and `answer_audit:proof:write`.

## Status handling

| Status | Meaning and action                                                |
| ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 400    | Malformed or unsupported request; fix the client                  |
| 401    | Missing, expired, or invalid credentials; reauthenticate          |
| 403    | Wrong token type, role, scope, tenant, or application key         |
| 404    | Resource does not exist in the current tenant boundary            |
| 409    | Idempotency, lifecycle, reconciliation, or receipt-claim conflict |
| 410    | Requested evidence or token is no longer retrievable              |
| 422    | Schema, hash mode, or workspace-policy mismatch                   |
| 429    | Rate or budget limit; honor the response and back off             |
| 5xx    | Service failure; retry only safe idempotent work with a bound     |

Do not parse human-readable error strings when using the Python SDK. A missing local credential can raise `AuthRequiredError`; HTTP responses are represented by `RegistryError` with `status_code`, `detail`, and optional `payload`.

## Safe retries

Preserve the original idempotency key across a bounded retry. Never generate a fresh key merely because the first response timed out. Do not retry 403, 409, or 422 unchanged.


---

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