`WORK_EXISTS`

HTTP 409

Something about the request must change

An item with this workId already exists (workId is the retry identity).

How to fix it (contract guidance)

Treat as success of the earlier create; GET the item instead of inventing a near-duplicate id.

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/items/batch
POST /api/items

If you are an agent

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

{
  "code": "WORK_EXISTS",
  "httpStatus": 409,
  "meaning": "An item with this workId already exists (workId is the retry identity).",
  "fix": "Treat as success of the earlier create; GET the item instead of inventing a near-duplicate id.",
  "example": null,
  "emittedBy": [
    "POST /api/items/batch",
    "POST /api/items"
  ],
  "links": {
    "contract": "/docs/openapi.json",
    "changelog": "/changelog",
    "blog": "/dispatches"
  },
  "guidanceSource": "contract-manifest",
  "observedResolution": {
    "code": "WORK_EXISTS",
    "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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