Utility Explain Error API
Returns the fault in plain words, the steps that fix it, a corrected request when the error's details allow one, whether retrying can succeed, and the docs link.
GET /v1/utility/explain-errorLast updated November 2026Maintained by the SocialCrawl team
When to use the Utility Explain Error API
Use it when a call failed and you have the status and body, instead of guessing at the fix. It fetches nothing. Free to call.
From the API reference
Paste a failed response (its status and body) and get back the fault in plain words, the steps that fix it, a corrected request when the error's own details allow one, whether retrying the same request can succeed, and the docs link. Covers bad or misnamed parameters (including a value sent as a parameter name), missing parameters, invalid values, wrong paths, auth, credits, key limits, rate limits, upstream failures and not-found. Pass the body as JSON or base64url JSON (up to 8,000 characters) and, optionally, the request you sent as request (API keys in it are dropped). The answer is computed from the error type and details the API returned; nothing is fetched. Free to call.
Searching 69 platforms in parallel
What can you do with the Explain Error API?
The Explain Error endpoint gives you structured Utility data with computed fields in a single request. No scraping infrastructure to build or maintain.
Example Request
# GET /v1/utility/explain-error: Free: 0 credits per call.
# --max-time 60: the API's own time limit for this endpoint.
# --retry 3: retries timeouts, 429 and 5xx, honoring Retry-After.
# -o response.json keeps only the final attempt's body.
# One Idempotency-Key per request, reused on every retry, so a retried call is never charged twice.
IDEMPOTENCY_KEY=$(od -An -N16 -tx1 /dev/urandom | tr -d ' \n')
curl -sS --max-time 60 --retry 3 -o response.json \
-H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Idempotency-Key: $IDEMPOTENCY_KEY" \
"https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/utility/explain-error?status=400&body=%7B%22success%22%3Afalse%2C%22error%22%3A%7B%22type%22%3A%22INVALID_REQUEST%22%2C%22message%22%3A%22Unknown+query+parameter+%27handel%27.+Did+you+mean+%27handle%27%3F%22%2C%22status%22%3A400%2C%22details%22%3A%7B%22unknown_parameters%22%3A%5B%22handel%22%5D%2C%22suggestions%22%3A%7B%22handel%22%3A%22handle%22%7D%7D%7D%7D&request=%2Fv1%2Ftiktok%2Fprofile%3Fhandel%3Dnasa" && cat response.json# GET /v1/utility/explain-error: Free: 0 credits per call.
import os
import random
import time
import uuid
import requests
API_KEY = os.environ.get("SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY", "YOUR_API_KEY")
TIMEOUT_S = 60 # the API's own time limit for this endpoint.
MAX_RETRIES = 3
URL = "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/utility/explain-error"
def backoff(attempt):
# Exponential backoff with jitter: about 1 s, 2 s, then 4 s.
return 2 ** attempt * (0.5 + random.random() / 2)
def socialcrawl(params):
# One Idempotency-Key per request, reused on every retry, so a retried call is never charged twice.
idempotency_key = str(uuid.uuid4())
for attempt in range(MAX_RETRIES + 1):
try:
res = requests.get(
URL,
params=params,
headers={"x-api-key": API_KEY, "Idempotency-Key": idempotency_key},
timeout=TIMEOUT_S,
)
body = res.json()
except (requests.RequestException, ValueError):
# A timeout, a dropped connection or a non-JSON gateway page: retry with the same key.
if attempt == MAX_RETRIES:
raise
time.sleep(backoff(attempt))
continue
if body["success"]:
return body
error = body["error"]
# Branch on error["type"], never on the message text.
if error["type"] == "RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND":
return None # refunded: nothing to read
retry_after = res.headers.get("Retry-After")
# SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE without Retry-After is a withdrawn endpoint: permanent.
permanent = error["type"] == "SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE" and retry_after is None
if not error.get("retryable") or permanent or attempt == MAX_RETRIES:
raise RuntimeError(f"{error['type']}: {error['message']} (request_id {body['request_id']})")
# Retry-After (seconds) wins; otherwise back off.
time.sleep(float(retry_after) if retry_after else backoff(attempt))
params = {
"status": "400",
"body": "{\"success\":false,\"error\":{\"type\":\"INVALID_REQUEST\",\"message\":\"Unknown query parameter 'handel'. Did you mean 'handle'?\",\"status\":400,\"details\":{\"unknown_parameters\":[\"handel\"],\"suggestions\":{\"handel\":\"handle\"}}}}",
"request": "/v1/tiktok/profile?handel=nasa",
}
body = socialcrawl(params)
if body is not None:
print(body["data"])// GET /v1/utility/explain-error: Free: 0 credits per call.
const API_KEY = process.env.SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY ?? "YOUR_API_KEY";
const TIMEOUT_MS = 60_000; // the API's own time limit for this endpoint.
const MAX_RETRIES = 3;
type Page = { next_cursor: string | null; has_more: boolean };
type SocialCrawlResponse =
| { success: true; data: any; pagination?: Page; credits_used: number; request_id: string }
| { success: false; error: { type: string; message: string; retryable: boolean }; request_id: string };
const sleep = (ms: number) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
// Exponential backoff with jitter: about 1 s, 2 s, then 4 s.
const backoffMs = (attempt: number) => 2 ** attempt * 1000 * (0.5 + Math.random() / 2);
async function socialcrawl(url: URL) {
// One Idempotency-Key per request, reused on every retry, so a retried call is never charged twice.
const idempotencyKey = crypto.randomUUID();
for (let attempt = 0; ; attempt++) {
let res: Response;
let body: SocialCrawlResponse;
try {
res = await fetch(url, {
headers: {
"x-api-key": API_KEY,
"Idempotency-Key": idempotencyKey,
},
signal: AbortSignal.timeout(TIMEOUT_MS),
});
body = (await res.json()) as SocialCrawlResponse;
} catch (error) {
// A timeout, a dropped connection or a non-JSON gateway page: retry with the same key.
if (attempt >= MAX_RETRIES) throw error;
await sleep(backoffMs(attempt));
continue;
}
if (body.success) return body;
// Branch on error.type, never on the message text.
if (body.error.type === "RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND") return null; // refunded: nothing to read
const retryAfter = res.headers.get("Retry-After");
// SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE without Retry-After is a withdrawn endpoint: permanent.
const permanent = body.error.type === "SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE" && retryAfter === null;
if (!body.error.retryable || permanent || attempt >= MAX_RETRIES) {
throw new Error(`${body.error.type}: ${body.error.message} (request_id ${body.request_id})`);
}
// Retry-After (seconds) wins; otherwise back off.
await sleep(retryAfter ? Number(retryAfter) * 1000 : backoffMs(attempt));
}
}
const url = new URL("https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/utility/explain-error");
url.searchParams.set("status", "400");
url.searchParams.set("body", "{\"success\":false,\"error\":{\"type\":\"INVALID_REQUEST\",\"message\":\"Unknown query parameter 'handel'. Did you mean 'handle'?\",\"status\":400,\"details\":{\"unknown_parameters\":[\"handel\"],\"suggestions\":{\"handel\":\"handle\"}}}}");
url.searchParams.set("request", "/v1/tiktok/profile?handel=nasa");
const body = await socialcrawl(url);
if (body) console.log(body.data);Parameters
| Parameter | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| status | No | The HTTP status of the failed response. Optional when the body carries error.status |
| body | No | The pasted response body: the JSON error envelope (URL-encoded or base64url) or plain text. Up to 8,000 characters. Provide this or status |
| request | No | The request that failed, as a URL or /v1 path with its query string. Lets the answer return a corrected request. Credentials in it are dropped |
What does the Utility Explain Error API return?
This synthetic fixture shows the documented response shape and fields. Values are illustrative; this is not a live API response.
Example response
{
"success": true,
"platform": "utility",
"endpoint": "/v1/utility/explain-error",
"data": {
"kind": "error_explanation",
"version": 1,
"status": 400,
"fault": "unknown_param",
"error_type": "INVALID_REQUEST",
"explanation": "The request sent `handel` that this endpoint does not accept. An unknown parameter is rejected before billing, so nothing was charged.",
"fix_steps": [
"Rename `handel` to `handle`.",
"`GET /v1/utility/endpoint?id=tiktok/profile` lists the parameters this endpoint takes."
],
"corrected_request": {
"method": "GET",
"path": "/v1/tiktok/profile",
"query": {
"handle": "nasa"
},
"url": "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/tiktok/profile?handle=nasa",
"changes": [
{
"op": "rename_param",
"from": "handel",
"to": "handle"
}
]
},
"retry": false,
"doc_url": "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/docs/errors#invalid-request"
},
"credits_used": 0,
"request_id": "req_example000000",
"cached": false
}Synthetic fixture for the documented response shape. Values are illustrative, not a production capture.
How does the Utility Explain Error API work?
Send a GET request with your API key and get back clean, structured JSON in our unified schema. Supported computed fields are populated when the source provides the required inputs.
Method
GET
Response
JSON
How do you scrape social media data in seconds?
The fastest social media scraping API for developers. Scrape profiles, posts, comments, and analytics from 69 platforms covering 10B+ monthly active users.
One schema, every platform
Query 69 platforms with identical response structures. Write your integration once.
Computed fields, not just scraped
When an endpoint supports these metrics and the source provides the required inputs, the normalized record includes engagement_rate, estimated_reach, content_category, and language. Ready to use.
See your data before you code
Visual Data Explorer. Paste any URL, get rich result cards, sortable tables, CSV export.
import requests
response = requests.get(
'https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/tiktok/profile',
params={'handle': 'charlidamelio'},
headers={'x-api-key': 'sc_YOUR_API_KEY'}
)
data = response.json(){
"success": true,
"platform": "tiktok",
"data": {
"author": {
"username": "charlidamelio",
"followers": 152400000
},
"engagement": {
"likes": 12400000000,
"engagement_rate": 0.087
},
"metadata": {
"language": "en",
"content_category": "lifestyle"
}
}
}Have a question? We got answers
Find answers to frequently asked questions about SocialCrawl's API, pricing, and capabilities.
Contact usWhat does the Explain Error API return?
When should I use the Explain Error endpoint?
How much does the Explain Error API cost?
What parameters does the Explain Error API need?
How do I call the Explain Error API?
Ask AI about SocialCrawl
Ready to scrape Utility Explain Error data?
Get your API key and start pulling Utility data in under 60 seconds.
