Errors worth branching on

These five failures cover the article fetch (GET /api/v1/help-center/articles/), on every docs-embed hit from the widget. Each block below is a full { error, meta } envelope as the API returns it, and the matrix at the bottom answers retry vs surface for the same five classes. For the platform-wide decision table these branches plug into, see the error handling guide.

401 — Unauthorized

  {
    "error": {
      "code": "UNAUTHORIZED",
      "message": "The API key is invalid, expired, or lacks the required scope.",
      "status": 401
    },
    "meta": {
      "request_id": "req_helpcenta1",
      "timestamp": "2026-09-03T12:00:00Z"
    }
  }

A 401 on this page is the bearer key failing before the route ran — it never means the resource is wrong. Rotate the key or re-mint the scoped token; retrying the same request changes nothing.

403 — Forbidden

  {
    "error": {
      "code": "FORBIDDEN",
      "message": "The key is valid but does not have the scope this operation requires.",
      "status": 403
    },
    "meta": {
      "request_id": "req_helpcenta1f",
      "timestamp": "2026-09-03T12:00:00Z"
    }
  }

A 403 means the key authenticated but the operation is gated by scope — check the key’s scopes on the developer page; a 403 is never a data-not-found shape.

422 — Schema

  {
    "error": {
      "code": "VALIDATION_ERROR",
      "message": "The request failed input validation.",
      "status": 422,
      "details": { "field": "collection_slug", "value": "BILLING", "expected": "a lower-case kebab-case slug from GET /api/v1/help-center/collections" }
    },
    "meta": {
      "request_id": "req_helpcentb2",
      "timestamp": "2026-09-03T12:00:00Z"
    }
  }

A 422 means the payload did not match the request schema — branch on error.details.field and resend with the nearest published slug or the fallback collection landing instead of blind-retrying the same body.

429 — Rate

  {
    "error": {
      "code": "RATE_LIMITED",
      "message": "Too many requests in the current window.",
      "status": 429,
      "details": { "retry_after": 12 }
    },
    "meta": {
      "request_id": "req_helpcentc3",
      "timestamp": "2026-09-03T12:00:00Z",
      "docs_url": "https://docs.orbit.devotel.io/errors/RATE_LIMITED"
    }
  }

The Retry-After header and error.details.retry_after are both set on every 429 — resend the SAME request after the lower of the two.

404 — Not found

  {
    "error": {
      "code": "HELP_ARTICLE_NOT_FOUND",
      "message": "No published article exists with this slug.",
      "status": 404,
      "details": { "slug": "billing.wholesale", "nearest_published_slug": "billing" }
    },
    "meta": {
      "request_id": "req_helpcentd4",
      "timestamp": "2026-09-03T12:00:00Z"
    }
  }

Surface the human slug suggestion; never retry on a 404.

60-second retry matrix

Class	Meaning	Branch response
401 `UNAUTHORIZED`	the bearer key itself fails	Surface. Rotate the key or re-mint the scoped token; do not retry the same request.
403 `FORBIDDEN`	the key lacks this operation’s scope	Surface. Fix the key’s scope set; a retry with the same key never heals it.
422 `VALIDATION_ERROR`	the payload does not match the schema	Fix, then resend intentionally. Branch on `error.details.field`; a blind retry repeats the same 422.
429 `RATE_LIMITED`	the window quota is exhausted	Retry after `error.details.retry_after` (or the `Retry-After` header) with the same request body.
`HELP_ARTICLE_NOT_FOUND` (404 not found)	page-specific gating	Branch on `error.code`. Surface the human slug suggestion; never retry on a 404.

Worked request and response samples

Copy the request as written, substitute your own ids, and compare the response envelope — a success in the same shape the numbered error sections spell out.

Search public help articles

GET /api/v1/public/help/search

The public surface needs no API key; pass a query string and rank the matched articles by relevance. Request

curl -X GET "https://api.orbit.devotel.io/api/v1/public/help/search?q=refund"

{
  "data": [
    {
      "slug": "refund-policy",
      "title": "Refund policy",
      "score": 0.94,
      "excerpt": "Refunds post back to the original payment method within five business days."
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "req_helpcenter",
    "timestamp": "2026-09-08T12:00:00Z"
  }
}

API Reference

All Endpoints

Errors worth branching on