# Template Tiger Error Reference

> **Common fixes: 404 = check template name/account; 401 = verify X-API-Key header; 429 = wait 60 seconds.**

## Error Response Format

All errors return JSON:
```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "ERROR_CODE",
    "message": "User-friendly error message",
    "details": {
      "templateName": "welcome-email"
    }
  }
}
```

## Error Codes

### 4xx Client Errors

| Code | HTTP Status | Description | Fix |
|------|-------------|-------------|-----|
| TEMPLATE_NOT_FOUND | 404 | Template doesn't exist in account | Verify template name and account |
| INVALID_REQUEST_BODY | 400 | Body is not valid JSON or not an object | Validate JSON format |
| VARIABLE_VALIDATION_FAILED | 400 | Required variables missing | Provide all template variables |
| RENDER_FAILED | 400 | Template syntax error | Check Handlebars syntax |
| AUTHENTICATION_FAILED | 401 | Invalid or missing API key | Provide valid X-API-Key header |
| RATE_LIMIT_EXCEEDED | 429 | Exceeded 60 requests/minute | Wait before retrying |

### 5xx Server Errors

| Code | HTTP Status | Description | Fix |
|------|-------------|-------------|-----|
| INTERNAL_ERROR | 500 | Unexpected server error | Retry, contact support if persistent |
| SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE | 503 | Temporary outage | Retry with exponential backoff |

## Common Issues and Solutions

### Template Not Found (404)
- Verify template name is spelled correctly (case-sensitive)
- Ensure template exists in your account
- Check that API key belongs to correct account

### Invalid Request Body (400)
- Ensure body is valid JSON
- Body must be an object, not array or primitive
- Check for JSON syntax errors (missing quotes, trailing commas)

### Variable Validation Failed (400)
- Check which variables the template requires
- Ensure all required variables are provided
- Verify nested object paths match template expectations

### Authentication Failed (401)
- Ensure X-API-Key header is present
- Verify API key is not revoked
- Check key is copied correctly (no extra spaces)

### Rate Limit Exceeded (429)
- Wait for rate limit window to reset (60 seconds)
- Monitor X-RateLimit-Remaining header
- Implement exponential backoff in retry logic

## Rate Limit Headers

All responses include:
- `X-RateLimit-Limit: 60` - Requests allowed per minute
- `X-RateLimit-Remaining: N` - Requests remaining in current window