`PRINCIPAL_REQUIRED`

HTTP 401

Something about the request must change

A store mutation was attempted without an authenticated principal.

How to fix it (contract guidance)

Authenticate first; on HTTP this surfaces only if the gate was bypassed.

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.

If you are an agent

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

{
  "code": "PRINCIPAL_REQUIRED",
  "httpStatus": 401,
  "meaning": "A store mutation was attempted without an authenticated principal.",
  "fix": "Authenticate first; on HTTP this surfaces only if the gate was bypassed.",
  "example": null,
  "emittedBy": [],
  "links": {
    "contract": "/docs/openapi.json",
    "changelog": "/changelog",
    "blog": "/dispatches"
  },
  "guidanceSource": "contract-manifest",
  "observedResolution": {
    "code": "PRINCIPAL_REQUIRED",
    "source": "server-event-ledger",
    "scope": "current-retained-events",
    "correlationWindowHours": 24,
    "minimumDistinctWorkspaces": 3,
    "status": "insufficient-aggregate",
    "observations": null,
    "distinctWorkspaces": null,
    "path": null
  }
}

Other HTTP 401 errors

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