venice-errors

Venice errors & retries

Every Venice endpoint returns one of four error shapes. Knowing which shape you got tells you how to react.

Error body shapes

1. StandardError — simple message

The default shape for 4xx/5xx. Emitted when there's nothing structured to surface.

{ "error": "Unauthorized" }

2. DetailedError — Zod validation failure

Used for some 400 responses on malformed request bodies. When present, details is a Zod format() tree (_errors recursively keyed by field) alongside a flat issues array. Many 400s are plain StandardError without details — always handle both.

{
  "error": "Invalid request",
  "details": {
    "_errors": [],
    "messages": { "_errors": ["Field is required"] }
  },
  "issues": [
    { "code": "invalid_type", "path": ["messages"], "message": "Field is required" }
  ]
}

Render details / issues to the user so they can fix the input; don't retry — the request shape is wrong.

3. ContentViolationError — 422 content policy

Returned when a prompt trips content policy. suggested_prompt (a model-provided safe alternative) is currently emitted by the audio generation pipeline (/audio/queue, /audio/retrieve); image and video endpoints return { error: "Content policy violation" } without suggested_prompt.

{
  "error": "Content policy violation",
  "suggested_prompt": "A cinematic instrumental track inspired by stormy weather and dramatic tension."
}

Pattern — when suggested_prompt is present, retry once with prompt = suggested_prompt if the user consents.

4. X402InferencePaymentRequired — 402 on x402 inference calls

Returned only when the caller authenticated with SIWE and has insufficient credit. Discriminated by code: "PAYMENT_REQUIRED".

{
  "error": "Payment required",
  "code": "PAYMENT_REQUIRED",
  "message": "Insufficient x402 balance",
  "suggestedTopUpUsd": 10,
  "minimumTopUpUsd": 5,
  "supportedTokens": ["USDC"],
  "supportedChains": ["base"],
  "topUpInstructions": {
    "step1": "POST /api/v1/x402/top-up with no payment header to get payment requirements",
    "step2": "Sign a USDC transfer authorization using the x402 SDK (createPaymentHeader)",
    "step3": "POST /api/v1/x402/top-up with the signed X-402-Payment header",
    "receiverWallet": "<RECEIVER_WALLET_ADDRESS>",
    "tokenAddress": "<USDC_TOKEN_ADDRESS>",
    "tokenDecimals": 6,
    "network": "eip155:8453",
    "minimumAmountUsd": 5
  },
  "siwxChallenge": { ... SIWE template ... }
}