> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.testsprite.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Exit Codes & Errors
> Every exit code, error code, and test status value the CLI emits — your branching contract for agents and CI.
Every `testsprite` command returns a stable exit code. Agents and CI pipelines branch on the exit code; the JSON error envelope supplies the machine-readable detail. Exit codes and error codes will not change within a major version.
## Exit codes
| Code | Meaning |
| :------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `0` | Success |
| `1` | Generic failure — non-passed run status, or unhandled server error (INTERNAL) |
| `2` | Not yet implemented |
| `3` | Auth error — key missing, unparseable, revoked, or forbidden scope |
| `4` | Not found — ID doesn't exist or belongs to another tenant |
| `5` | Validation error — bad field/enum, payload too large, missing required flag, or bad `--output` value |
| `6` | Conflict or precondition — snapshot in flight, run already in flight, idempotency body mismatch, a newer `codeVersion` was seen, or agent install blocked (target exists and differs, no `--force`) |
| `7` | Timeout or unsupported — polling ceiling reached (resume with `testsprite test wait `), or feature not on current backend |
| `8`, `9` | Reserved (unused) |
| `10` | Unavailable or transport failure — retriable with backoff |
| `11` | Rate limited — honor the `Retry-After` header |
| `12` | Insufficient credits — non-retriable; top up in the dashboard |
| `14` | Client too old — the backend requires a newer CLI (HTTP 426 CLIENT\_TOO\_OLD); upgrade to proceed |
| `129` | SIGHUP interrupt (terminal or SSH session closed) — CLI detaches; server-side runs keep executing |
| `130` | SIGINT interrupt (Ctrl-C) — CLI detaches; server-side runs keep executing |
| `143` | SIGTERM interrupt — CLI detaches; server-side runs keep executing |
The `--help` and `--version` flags always exit 0. Flag-parse errors exit 5.
## Signals & pipes
`129`, `130`, and `143` are the conventional `128 + signal` codes for SIGHUP, SIGINT, and SIGTERM respectively. When a signal lands while the CLI is polling a run (`--wait`, `test wait`, `test flaky`), it detaches gracefully: stdout gets the same partial object a `--timeout` would print (`{ "runId": "...", "status": "running" }`), and stderr names the run and both ways forward:
```text theme={null}
Interrupted (SIGINT). Run run_5c1d9a2b is still executing on the server and will keep running (and billing) until it finishes.
Re-attach with: testsprite test wait run_5c1d9a2b
Cancel with: testsprite test cancel run_5c1d9a2b
```
In `--output json` mode, stderr instead carries an `INTERRUPTED` error envelope with `details.signal` — deliberately outside the error-code table below, since no request failed. Outside a polling wait (at a prompt, mid-listing), the CLI prints a one-line generic reminder and exits with the same codes. A second signal exits immediately.
**Ctrl-C does not cancel the run.** The CLI only polls for status — the run itself keeps executing (and billing, where it applies) on the server whether or not the CLI is still attached. Reattach with `testsprite test wait `, or actually stop it with [`testsprite test cancel `](/cli/core/cancelling-runs).
Separately, if stdout is piped into a reader that closes early — `testsprite test list --output json | head -n 1` — the next write raises `EPIPE`. The CLI swallows it silently and exits `0`, the conventional outcome for "the reader went away," not a failure.
## Error codes
Every error response carries a machine-readable `code` string alongside the HTTP status and CLI exit code.
| Code | HTTP | Exit | When | Retriable |
| :-------------------------- | :--- | :--- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------- |
| `AUTH_REQUIRED` | 401 | 3 | No auth header present | No |
| `AUTH_INVALID` | 401 | 3 | Key unparseable or revoked | No |
| `AUTH_FORBIDDEN` | 403 | 3 | Missing scope or cross-tenant access | No — text mode also prints `required:` / `granted:` scopes |
| `NOT_FOUND` | 404 | 4 | ID doesn't exist or belongs to another tenant | No |
| `VALIDATION_ERROR` | 400 | 5 | Bad field, enum value, or cursor | No |
| `PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE` | 413 | 5 | Body over the size cap | No |
| `CONFLICT` | 409 | 6 | Snapshot in flight, run already in flight, or cancelling a run that already finished | Yes — once, 1 s delay (cancel conflicts are not retried) |
| `PRECONDITION_FAILED` | 412 | 6 | The test changed since you fetched it (newer `codeVersion`) | No — re-fetch then retry |
| `IDEMPOTENCY_BODY_MISMATCH` | 409 | 6 | Same idempotency key reused with a different body | No |
| `RATE_LIMITED` | 429 | 11 | 60 triggers/min/key exceeded | Yes — honor `Retry-After`, cap 3 retries |
| `INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS` | 402 | 12 | Credit balance insufficient | No |
| `CLIENT_TOO_OLD` | 426 | 14 | CLI below the backend's minimum supported version | No — upgrade the CLI |
| `UNSUPPORTED` | 501 | 7 | Feature not on current backend version | No |
| `INTERNAL` | 500 | 1 | Unhandled server error | Yes — once |
| `UNAVAILABLE` | 503 | 10 | A downstream service is temporarily unavailable | Yes — exponential backoff, cap 4 retries |
## Error output
Every command emits the same JSON error envelope when something goes wrong, regardless of `--output` mode:
```json theme={null}
{
"error": {
"code": "AUTH_REQUIRED",
"message": "Authentication is required.",
"nextAction": "Run `testsprite setup`, or set TESTSPRITE_API_KEY and run `testsprite setup --from-env` for non-interactive flows.",
"requestId": "req_2026_05_05_abc123",
"details": {}
}
}
```
In text mode, the CLI prints `message` and `nextAction` as human-readable lines. For `AUTH_FORBIDDEN`, text mode also prints the required scope list and the granted scope list so you can immediately identify what's missing.
## Test and run status
### Test status
The test-level **normalized status** reflects the outcome of the most recent completed run. The CLI exposes 9 values.
| Status | Meaning | Terminal? |
| :------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :-------- |
| draft | Exists, but no executable code yet | No |
| ready | Has code, never run | No |
| queued | Run accepted; cloud engine not started | No |
| running | Run in flight (pre-exec, exec, or post-exec analysis) | No |
| passed | Latest completed run passed | Yes |
| failed | Latest completed run failed (includes infra crash) | Yes |
| blocked | Run rejected before a real verdict | Yes |
| cancelled | In the enum for run-status symmetry, but never emitted at test level — [cancelling a run](/cli/core/cancelling-runs) leaves the test's previous status in place | n/a |
| unknown | Backend cannot derive a status | n/a |
### Run status
An individual run has 6 possible statuses. Terminal statuses are the four that produce a final verdict.
| Status | Terminal? |
| :------------------- | :-------- |
| queued | No |
| running | No |
| passed | Yes |
| failed | Yes |
| blocked | Yes |
| cancelled | Yes |
### Step status
Each step in a run is: passed, failed, or `null` (not yet executed or not applicable).
### Run source
The `source` field on a run identifies which surface triggered it.
| Value | Meaning |
| :-------------- | :-------------------------------------------- |
| `cli` | Any CLI-triggered run, including `test rerun` |
| `portal` | Web Portal |
| `mcp` | MCP Server (IDE integration) |
| `schedule` | Automated schedule |
| `github_action` | GitHub Actions integration |
## Retrying safely
**Retriable codes** — use an idempotency key so retries are deduplicated server-side:
* Exit `6` (`CONFLICT`) — retry once after 1 second. For `PRECONDITION_FAILED`, re-fetch `codeVersion` first, then retry.
* Exit `10` (`UNAVAILABLE`) — retry with exponential backoff (capped at 4 retries automatically by the CLI).
* Exit `11` (`RATE_LIMITED`) — wait for the `Retry-After` duration before retrying (cap 3 retries automatically).
**Non-retriable codes** — fix the root cause before retrying:
* Exit `4` (`NOT_FOUND`) — verify the ID.
* Exit `5` (`VALIDATION_ERROR`, `PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE`) — fix the input.
* Exit `12` (`INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS`) — top up your balance.
Reuse `--idempotency-key` on write commands when retrying manually so the backend dedupes server-side.
How idempotency keys make manual retries safe
## Where to Go Next
Every command and flag in one place
Environment variables, profiles, and the JSON output contract
Gate pipelines on exit codes
Triggering runs and handling results