`HEAD_NOT_ANCESTOR`

HTTP 409

Something about the request must change

Provider proof shows the submitted head does not descend from the submitted base.

How to fix it (contract guidance)

Rebase or fix the SHAs so head genuinely descends from base, then resubmit.

Observed recovery

Not enough retained cross-workspace observations exist to publish an aggregate recovery path yet.

Publication requires at least 3 distinct workspaces. This is withheld data, not evidence that no recovery happened.

Raised by

POST /api/submit
POST /api/verify

If you are an agent

The same facts, structured. Do not infer the fix from the prose above — use this.

{
  "code": "HEAD_NOT_ANCESTOR",
  "httpStatus": 409,
  "meaning": "Provider proof shows the submitted head does not descend from the submitted base.",
  "fix": "Rebase or fix the SHAs so head genuinely descends from base, then resubmit.",
  "example": null,
  "emittedBy": [
    "POST /api/submit",
    "POST /api/verify"
  ],
  "links": {
    "contract": "/docs/openapi.json",
    "changelog": "/changelog",
    "blog": "/dispatches"
  },
  "guidanceSource": "contract-manifest",
  "observedResolution": {
    "code": "HEAD_NOT_ANCESTOR",
    "source": "server-event-ledger",
    "scope": "current-retained-events",
    "correlationWindowHours": 24,
    "minimumDistinctWorkspaces": 3,
    "status": "insufficient-aggregate",
    "observations": null,
    "distinctWorkspaces": null,
    "path": null
  }
}

Other HTTP 409 errors

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