# Errors and status codes

Understand failures and pending cleanup responses.

## Error format

```json
{
  "code": "API_KEY_SCOPE_REQUIRED",
  "description": "The API key requires the rooms:create scope",
  "requestId": "request_example"
}
```

The description explains the failure. The request ID also appears in the `x-request-id` response header.

## Status codes

| Status | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `200` | Object or collection returned. |
| `201` | Resource or credentials created. |
| `202` | Work accepted; inspect the returned operation or delivery. |
| `204` | Completed with no body. |
| `400` | Invalid JSON fields, parameters or time window. |
| `401` | Missing, invalid, expired or revoked key. |
| `403` | Missing scope or project/environment mismatch. |
| `404` | Resource, route or runtime operation not found. |
| `409` | Lifecycle or replay conflict. |
| `429` | Request limit exceeded. |
| `500` | Server could not complete the request. |
| `503` | A required service or signing configuration is unavailable. |

## Pending cleanup

Room ending and participant removal can return `202` with a runtime operation. Poll the corresponding runtime-operation endpoint until `status` is `completed`. A `failed` operation needs investigation.

## Retry carefully

Read requests can be retried after transient failures. Writes are not automatically safe to repeat after a lost response. Check resource state before creating another room, issuing another token, rotating a secret or replaying a delivery.