AI API Proxy Error Handling

Implement robust error handling, intelligent retries, and fallback strategies for reliable AI API proxy services.

Common Error Types

4XX

Client Errors

Bad request, unauthorized, not found, rate limited. Check request format and credentials.

5XX

Server Errors

Internal errors, bad gateway, service unavailable. Backend provider issues.

429

Rate Limited

Too many requests. Implement backoff and distribute load across keys.

401

Auth Failed

Invalid API key or token. Verify credentials and check expiration.

408

Timeout

Request took too long. Increase timeout or optimize backend calls.

200

Success

Request completed successfully. Process response normally.

Retry Strategy

Step 1
Request
Step 2
Error?
Step 3
Wait (exp backoff)
Step 4
Retry
Step 5
Fallback

Implementation Code

async function makeRequest(url, options, retries = 3) { for (let i = 0; i < retries; i++) { try { const response = await fetch(url, options); if (response.ok) return response; // Don't retry client errors if (response.status < 500) throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}`); } catch (error) { // Exponential backoff await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 2 ** i * 1000)); } } // Fallback to backup provider return fallbackRequest(url, options); }

Best Practices

// 1. Always implement exponential backoff const delay = Math.min(1000 * 2 ** retryCount, 30000); // 2. Never retry 4XX errors (except 429) const isRetryable = status === 429 || status >= 500; // 3. Implement circuit breaker pattern if (failureCount > 5) { return fallbackResponse(); } // 4. Log all errors for debugging logger.error({ status, message }, "Request failed"); // 5. Provide meaningful error messages throw new Error(`AI request failed: ${statusText}`);

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I implement retries?

Retry on network errors, timeouts, and 5xx server errors. Never retry on client errors (4xx except 429) as they indicate invalid requests.

What is exponential backoff?

A retry strategy that increases wait time exponentially: 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s... This prevents overwhelming failing services while still recovering from transient issues.

How do I handle rate limiting?

Implement aggressive caching, distribute requests across API keys, use the Retry-After header to wait before retrying, and consider upgrading your plan.

What is a circuit breaker?

A pattern that stops making requests after a threshold of failures. It "trips" to prevent cascading failures and automatically recovers when the service is healthy again.

How do I implement fallback?

Have backup providers or cached responses ready. If the primary AI provider fails, switch to an alternative, return cached results, or provide graceful degradation.

What errors should I log?

Log all errors with status codes, timestamps, request details, and response body. Include correlation IDs to trace requests through your system.

Partner Resources

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AI API Gateway Troubleshooting

Troubleshoot and debug AI API gateway issues effectively.

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API Gateway Proxy Debugging

Debug and optimize API gateway proxy performance.

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AI API Gateway Best Practices

Best practices for AI API gateway implementation.

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OpenAI API Gateway Support

Get support for OpenAI API gateway integration.

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