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Idempotency

DocsSystem ZeroIdempotency Updated

Use an Idempotency-Key to replay the same decision while its stored answer is available.

decide.sh
# Set SYSTEM_ZERO_API_KEY to your API key before running this example.
# Generate once per logical decision; reuse this key when retrying.
idempotency_key="$(uuidgen 2>/dev/null \
  || cat /proc/sys/kernel/random/uuid 2>/dev/null \
  || openssl rand -hex 16 2>/dev/null \
  || python3 -c 'from uuid import uuid4; print(uuid4())' 2>/dev/null)"
cat > request.json <<'EOF'
{
  "model": "system-zero",
  "state": "The blender I ordered arrived with a cracked jar.",
  "questions": {
    "damaged": {
      "type": "boolean",
      "instructions": "Did the item arrive damaged?"
    }
  }
}
EOF
# Headerless error responses require Python 3 to read error.code.
# If x-should-retry is present, resend only when x-should-retry is true. If the
# header is absent, resend on 429, or on 409 and 5xx only with a retryable
# error.code. No answer also retries. Wait Retry-After plus up to 10 %,
# otherwise a random wait doubling from 1 s to 30 s. Stop if Retry-After is over
# 60 s. Also stop when a 429 has no Retry-After, or a 5xx has x-should-retry but
# no Retry-After.
random() { od -An -N4 -tu4 /dev/urandom | tr -d ' '; }
# Stop resending after 10 minutes.
start=$(date +%s) attempt=0
while :; do
  : "${SYSTEM_ZERO_API_KEY:?set it first}"
  : "${idempotency_key:?could not make one}"
  rm -f reply.json
  out=$(curl https://api.rightnowai.co/v1/system-zero/decide \
    --max-time 130 -sS -o reply.json -D - -w '%{http_code}' \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $SYSTEM_ZERO_API_KEY" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -H "Idempotency-Key: $idempotency_key" \
    -d @request.json)
  code=$(printf '%s' "$out" | tail -c 3)
  retry_header=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" \
    | grep -i '^x-should-retry:' | tail -n 1)
  retry=$(printf '%s\n' "$retry_header" \
    | sed 's/^[^:]*:[[:space:]]*//;s/[[:space:]]*$//')
  after=$(printf '%s\n' "$out" | grep -i '^retry-after:' \
    | tail -n 1 | sed 's/^[^:]*:[[:space:]]*//;s/[[:space:]]*$//')
  case $after in *[!0-9]*|'') after= ;; esac
  if [ -z "$retry_header" ]; then
    case $code in
      000|429) ;;
      409|5??)
        error_code=$(python3 -c 'import json, sys
try:
    print(json.load(sys.stdin).get("error", {}).get("code", ""))
except (ValueError, AttributeError):
    pass' < reply.json 2>/dev/null) || break
        case $code:$error_code in
          409:idempotency_conflict) ;;
          409:upload_in_use) ;;
          409:session_busy) ;;
          5??:service_unavailable) ;;
          5??:system_zero_unavailable) ;;
          5??:billing_settlement_error) ;;
          5??:idempotency_unavailable) ;;
          5??:limiter_unavailable) ;;
          5??:internal_error) ;;
          5??:maintenance) ;;
          5??:revoke_notice_unavailable) ;;
          *) break ;;
        esac ;;
      *) break ;;
    esac
  else
    [ "$retry" = true ] || break
    case $code in 4??|5??) ;; *) break ;; esac
  fi
  if [ -n "$after" ]; then
    after=$(printf '%s' "$after" | sed 's/^0*//')
    after=${after:-0}
    [ "$after" -le 60 ] || break
    ms=$(( after * 1000 + $(random) % (after * 100 + 1) ))
  else
    [ "$code" != 429 ] || break
    if [ -n "$retry_header" ]; then
      case $code in 5??) break ;; esac
    fi
    cap=$(( attempt < 5 ? 1000 << attempt : 30000 ))
    ms=$(( $(random) % (cap + 1) ))
  fi
  [ $(( $(date +%s) - start + ms / 1000 )) -lt 600 ] || break
  sleep "$(( ms / 1000 )).$(printf '%03d' $(( ms % 1000 )))"
  [ $(( $(date +%s) - start )) -lt 600 ] || break
  attempt=$(( attempt + 1 ))
done
echo "HTTP $code"
cat reply.json 2>/dev/null

Keep the key and body

Generate a fresh key for a new decision. Keep that key and the same JSON body for retries, using the same workspace and API key.

The API compares the canonical JSON body with the method and route. Changing the body while keeping the key returns 400 idempotency_key_reuse.

The header is optional. Without it, repeating a call cannot retrieve an answer lost in transit.

Read a replay

The same key and body can return the completed answer with X-RightNow-Idempotent-Replay: true. The replay has a new request trace and current rate-limit headers.

Replay availability is not guaranteed. If the settled answer cannot be read, the response uses X-RightNow-Idempotent-Replay: unavailable and 409 idempotency_replay_unavailable.

Waiting does not recover an unavailable replay. A new key starts new work and may produce a different answer.

Handle a replay refusal

CodeWhat to do
idempotency_conflictThe same work is still running. Wait for Retry-After, then retry with the same Idempotency-Key and body.
idempotency_key_reuseUse the original body with this Idempotency-Key, or a new key for changed work.
idempotency_replay_unavailableInspect error.details.original_status. A new key starts new work rather than recovering the old answer.
invalid_idempotency_keyCorrect the blank or malformed key.
idempotency_unavailableWait for Retry-After, then retry with the same Idempotency-Key.

Use error.retryable and x-should-retry to decide whether to retry. Follow the wait in the response; see Errors.