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Errors

The OpenMetadata API uses conventional HTTP response codes to indicate the success or failure of an API request. Error responses include a JSON body with details about what went wrong.

HTTP Status Codes

Success Codes (2xx)

Client Error Codes (4xx)

Server Error Codes (5xx)

Error Types Reference

BAD_REQUEST

ENTITY_NOT_FOUND

ENTITY_ALREADY_EXISTS

UNAUTHORIZED

FORBIDDEN

PRECONDITION_FAILED

LIMITS_EXCEPTION

Handling Errors

Python SDK

Validation Errors

When request validation fails, the error message includes details about which field(s) failed:
For JSON body validation errors:

Retry Logic

For transient errors (5xx, 429), implement retry with exponential backoff:

Debugging Tips

1

Check the error message

The message field usually contains specific details about what went wrong.
2

Verify authentication

Ensure your token is valid and not expired. Try generating a new token.
3

Check permissions

For 403 errors, verify the user/bot has the required role for the operation.
4

Validate request format

For 400 errors, check that all required fields are present and properly formatted.
5

Check resource existence

For 404 errors, verify the resource exists and the FQN/ID is correct.