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HTTP Status Codes

Pixel Patrol uses standard HTTP status codes to indicate success or failure:
Status CodeMeaning
200Success - Request completed successfully
400Bad Request - Invalid request data
401Unauthorized - Invalid or missing site key
403Forbidden - Access denied (limits exceeded, no subscription)
404Not Found - Resource doesn’t exist
429Too Many Requests - Rate limit exceeded
500Internal Server Error - Something went wrong on our end

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Error Response Format

All error responses follow a consistent JSON format: 
{
  "error": "Error type or message",
  "message": "Detailed description of the error",
  "type": "error_category",
  "details": {
    "field": "Additional context"
  }
}

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Common Errors

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Invalid Site Key

{
  "error": "Invalid API Key",
  "message": "The provided site key is not valid or has been disabled"
}
Status: 401 Unauthorized Solutions:
  • Verify your site key format: site_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Check that the site key exists in your dashboard
  • Ensure the site key hasn’t been rotated or disabled

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Missing Required Fields

{
  "error": "Invalid request data",
  "message": "Request validation failed",
  "details": {
    "api_key": ["This field is required"],
    "content": ["At least one of body or content_url must be provided"]
  }
}
Status: 400 Bad Request Solutions:
  • Include the api_key field in your request body
  • Provide either body (text) or content_url (image URL)
  • Check field names match the API specification exactly

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Moderation Limit Exceeded

{
  "error": "Moderation limit exceeded",
  "type": "moderation_limit",
  "message": "Your team has reached the monthly moderation limit"
}
Status: 403 Forbidden Solutions:
  • Upgrade your subscription plan
  • Wait for your monthly limit to reset
  • Contact support for temporary limit increases

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No Active Subscription

{
  "error": "Team has no active subscription",
  "message": "A valid subscription is required to use the API"
}
Status: 403 Forbidden Solutions:
  • Subscribe to a paid plan in your dashboard
  • Ensure your payment method is valid and current
  • Contact billing support if you believe this is an error

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Rate Limit Exceeded

{
  "error": "Rate limit exceeded",
  "message": "Too many requests. Please try again in 60 seconds.",
  "retry_after": 60
}
Status: 429 Too Many Requests Solutions:
  • Implement exponential backoff retry logic
  • Reduce request frequency
  • Use the Retry-After header value for timing

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Media Not Found

{
  "error": "Media not found",
  "message": "No media found with the provided ID"
}
Status: 404 Not Found Solutions:
  • Verify the media_id or app_media_id is correct
  • Ensure the media belongs to your site
  • Check that the media wasn’t deleted

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Content Too Large

{
  "error": "Content too large",
  "message": "Text content exceeds maximum size of 100KB"
}
Status: 400 Bad Request Solutions:
  • Reduce text content size to under 100KB
  • For images, ensure files are under 10MB
  • Consider splitting large content into smaller chunks

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Invalid URL

{
  "error": "Invalid content URL",
  "message": "The provided URL is not accessible or not a valid image"
}
Status: 400 Bad Request Solutions:
  • Ensure the URL is publicly accessible
  • Verify the URL points to a supported image format (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP)
  • Check that the image server allows external access

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Error Handling Best Practices

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1. Implement Retry Logic

async function submitMediaWithRetry(data, maxRetries = 3) {
  for (let attempt = 1; attempt <= maxRetries; attempt++) {
    try {
      const response = await fetch('/api/submit-media', {
        method: 'POST',
        headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
        body: JSON.stringify(data)
      });
      
      if (response.ok) {
        return await response.json();
      }
      
      const error = await response.json();
      
      // Don't retry client errors (4xx)
      if (response.status >= 400 && response.status < 500) {
        throw new Error(error.message);
      }
      
      // Retry server errors (5xx) and rate limits
      if (attempt === maxRetries) {
        throw new Error(error.message);
      }
      
      // Exponential backoff
      const delay = Math.pow(2, attempt) * 1000;
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, delay));
      
    } catch (networkError) {
      if (attempt === maxRetries) throw networkError;
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, Math.pow(2, attempt) * 1000));
    }
  }
}

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2. Validate Input Before Sending

function validateSubmissionData(data) {
  const errors = [];
  
  if (!data.api_key) {
    errors.push('Site key is required');
  }
  
  if (!data.body && !data.content_url) {
    errors.push('Either text content or image URL must be provided');
  }
  
  if (data.body && data.body.length > 100000) {
    errors.push('Text content must be under 100KB');
  }
  
  if (errors.length > 0) {
    throw new Error('Validation failed: ' + errors.join(', '));
  }
}

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3. Handle Specific Error Types

async function handleApiResponse(response) {
  if (response.ok) {
    return await response.json();
  }
  
  const error = await response.json();
  
  switch (response.status) {
    case 401:
      // Invalid site key - check configuration
      throw new Error('Authentication failed: Please check your site key');
      
    case 403:
      if (error.type === 'moderation_limit') {
        // Show upgrade prompt
        showUpgradeDialog();
      } else {
        // No subscription
        showSubscriptionDialog();
      }
      break;
      
    case 429:
      // Rate limited - implement backoff
      const retryAfter = response.headers.get('Retry-After') || 60;
      setTimeout(() => retryRequest(), retryAfter * 1000);
      break;
      
    default:
      throw new Error(error.message || 'Unknown error occurred');
  }
}

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Getting Help

If you encounter errors not covered here:
  1. Check the API status page for known issues
  2. Review your request format against the OpenAPI specification
  3. Contact support@pixelpatrol.net with:
    • Your site key (last 4 characters only)
    • The exact request you’re making
    • The full error response
    • Timestamp of when the error occurred