> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.aurous-labs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Update a character

> Edit a character's name and attributes. Refs are immutable.

`PATCH /v1/characters/{id}` updates the **mutable** fields of a character: `name` and `attributes`. Send only the fields you want to change. Omitted fields are preserved.

The reference images themselves (`refs[]`) are **immutable** by design — the cover image is the first ref in synthesize order or the first uploaded ref, and is not customer-controllable in v1.0. To change the visual identity, regenerate a single pose via [`POST /v1/characters/{id}/refs/regenerate`](/api-reference/characters/regenerate-ref) or rerun the whole synthesis via [`POST /v1/characters/{id}/resynthesize`](/api-reference/characters/resynthesize-character).

## When to use

* Renaming a character.
* Updating `attributes.additional_details` to add notes you want to surface in your UI.

This endpoint does **not** trigger any inference or charge credits — it is purely metadata.

## Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X PATCH https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/characters/char_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2VNABCDEFGHJKM \
    -H "X-Api-Key: $AUROUS_API_KEY" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{"name": "Aurora (final)"}'
  ```

  ```typescript Node.js theme={null}
  const updated = await fetch(
    `https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/characters/${id}`,
    {
      method: "PATCH",
      headers: {
        "X-Api-Key": process.env.AUROUS_API_KEY!,
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ name: "Aurora (final)" }),
    },
  ).then((r) => r.json());
  ```

  ```python Python theme={null}
  import os, requests

  r = requests.patch(
      f"https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/characters/{character_id}",
      headers={"X-Api-Key": os.environ["AUROUS_API_KEY"]},
      json={"name": "Aurora (final)"},
  ).json()
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Limits

* **Rate limit**: bucket `characters_post` — 30 requests/min sustained, 60 burst per team.

## Errors

| Code                 | HTTP | When                                                                                                |
| -------------------- | ---- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `resource_not_found` | 404  | Unknown ID, soft-deleted character, or cross-team. `error.param` is `"character_id"`.               |
| `invalid_request`    | 400  | Body validation failure (e.g. `name` over the length cap). `error.param` names the offending field. |

## Common pitfalls

* The platform applies a **strict whitelist** server-side. Sending fields outside the v1.0 mutable set (`name`, `attributes`) — for example `refs`, `id`, `team_id`, `status`, or `aurous_version` — returns `400 invalid_request` with `error.param` naming the first rejected field and a message listing every offending key. This is intentional: a silent-ignore policy would let a buggy client believe a non-existent field had taken effect. If you need a field to be mutable, send a feature request — new mutable fields land in v1.1 schema bumps.
* PATCH on a `deleted` character returns 404 `resource_not_found` — revive flows are not part of v1.0.
* `attributes` is not deep-merged; sending `attributes: { eye_color: "blue" }` replaces the whole object. Re-send all fields you want preserved.


## OpenAPI

````yaml PATCH /v1/characters/{id}
openapi: 3.0.0
info:
  title: Aurous Labs API
  description: >-
    Generate AI images with custom LoRA styles.


    ## Authentication

    All requests require an API key passed in the `X-Api-Key` header.

    Create API keys in your
    [dashboard](https://app.aurous-labs.com/dashboard/api-keys).


    ## Closed-beta access gate

    API keys are scoped to a user. If that user's account is not approved for
    the closed beta, every request returns `403` with one of these `error.code`
    values:


    - `account_pending` — awaiting review

    - `account_rejected` — declined post-signup

    - `account_suspended` — was approved, then suspended


    There is no retry — contact support to be approved. The same codes are
    emitted by the WebSocket gateway via 4001 close.


    ## Common headers

    Every response carries `Aurous-Request-Id` (a server-minted `req_<ULID>` for
    support tracing) and `Aurous-Version` (the API version applied to the
    response). Optionally pin a version on the request with `Aurous-Version:
    YYYY-MM-DD` — defaults to your team's pinned version.


    ## Quick Start

    ```bash

    curl -X POST https://api.aurous-labs.com/v1/images \
      -H "X-Api-Key: al_live_your_key" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -d '{"prompt": "A golden sunset over mountains", "lora_id": "your-lora-id", "size": "2k_1_1"}'
    ```
  version: 1.0.0
  contact: {}
servers:
  - url: https://api.aurous-labs.com
    description: Production
  - url: https://api.preprod.aurous-labs.com
    description: Preprod (staging)
security: []
tags:
  - name: Seedance (raw)
    description: >-
      Drop-in raw passthrough for Seedance video generation. Point the official
      Seedance provider SDK at this API's base URL and authenticate with your
      Aurous API key in the `X-Api-Key` header — request bodies are forwarded to
      the provider verbatim and responses come back shape-identical, so you keep
      the provider's exact request/response shapes. Task ids are Aurous-native
      `vid_…` ids. Billing rides response headers, not the body:
      `Aurous-Credits-Held` on the create response and `Aurous-Credits-Charged`
      on a settled, succeeded task read — the body itself stays provider-shaped.
paths:
  /v1/characters/{id}:
    patch:
      tags:
        - Public API (v1) — Characters
      summary: Update a character
      description: >-
        Updates `name` and/or `attributes`. Refs are immutable post-creation;
        use POST /v1/characters/{id}/refs/regenerate or
        /v1/characters/{id}/resynthesize to change them. Other fields (id,
        status, refs, timestamps) are read-only.
      operationId: V1CharactersController_update
      parameters:
        - name: id
          required: true
          in: path
          description: Opaque character ID
          schema:
            example: char_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMR
            type: string
        - name: Aurous-Version
          in: header
          required: false
          description: >-
            Optional API version pin (YYYY-MM-DD). Defaults to your team's
            pinned version, or the system default `2026-07-16` for
            unauthenticated requests.
          schema:
            type: string
            example: '2026-07-16'
            pattern: ^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$
      requestBody:
        required: true
        content:
          application/json:
            schema:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/V1UpdateCharacterDto'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Updated character
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/CharacterResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '400':
          description: Validation failed
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '401':
          description: Unauthorized
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '403':
          description: >-
            Account not approved for closed beta. error.code is one of
            `account_pending`, `account_rejected`, `account_suspended`. There is
            no retry — contact support to be approved.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '404':
          description: Not found / cross-team
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
        '429':
          description: Rate limit exceeded
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
            Retry-After:
              description: >-
                Seconds to wait before retrying. Present on 429 (rate limit) and
                on 503 provider_unavailable. Prefer this over computing
                X-RateLimit-Reset − now.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 12
        '503':
          description: >-
            Character generation is temporarily unavailable, or the platform
            could not verify your account/billing state or prepare the request
            (for example, reference images) before dispatch — error.code is
            `provider_unavailable` in every case. Retry after the number of
            seconds in the `Retry-After` header.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorResponse'
          headers:
            Aurous-Request-Id:
              description: Server-minted request id. Quote this in support tickets.
              schema:
                type: string
                example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMP
            Aurous-Version:
              description: API version pin applied to this response (YYYY-MM-DD).
              schema:
                type: string
                example: '2026-07-16'
            X-RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Bucket capacity (max tokens) for this endpoint class.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 120
            X-RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Tokens remaining after this request.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 119
            X-RateLimit-Reset:
              description: >-
                Epoch seconds when the bucket would be full again, assuming no
                further requests.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 1700000060
            Retry-After:
              description: >-
                Seconds to wait before retrying. Present on 429 (rate limit) and
                on 503 provider_unavailable. Prefer this over computing
                X-RateLimit-Reset − now.
              schema:
                type: integer
                example: 12
      security:
        - api-key: []
components:
  schemas:
    V1UpdateCharacterDto:
      type: object
      properties:
        name:
          type: string
          description: >-
            New display name (1-80 chars). Refs are immutable post-creation; use
            `:id/refs/regenerate` or `:id/resynthesize` to change them.
          example: Aurora the Bold
          minLength: 1
          maxLength: 80
        attributes:
          description: Updated character attributes (full replace, not merge).
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/V1CharacterAttributesDto'
    CharacterResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        id:
          type: string
          description: Opaque character ID.
          example: char_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2NABCDEFGHJKMR
        object:
          type: string
          description: Discriminator
          example: character
          enum:
            - character
        name:
          type: string
          description: Display name.
          example: Aurora the Adventurer
        client_reference_id:
          type: object
          description: >-
            Caller-supplied reference echoed back (the value sent on create).
            Null if unset.
          nullable: true
          example: bot_8472
        status:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Lifecycle state. `synthesizing`: synthesize flow running.
            `reviewing`: synthesize completed, awaiting POST /:id/save. `ready`:
            usable on POST /v1/images. `failed`: synthesize failed; use POST
            /:id/resynthesize to retry. `deleted`: soft-deleted (filtered out of
            list endpoint).
          example: ready
          enum:
            - synthesizing
            - reviewing
            - ready
            - failed
            - deleted
        attributes:
          description: Character attributes. Null when unset.
          nullable: true
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/CharacterAttributesResponse'
        refs:
          description: Reference images (typically 4 poses).
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/CharacterRefEntry'
        error_message:
          type: object
          description: Error message when status is `failed`. Null otherwise.
          nullable: true
          example: null
        aurous_version:
          type: string
          description: >-
            API contract version applied at the time this row was minted (D25 —
            frozen for replay across future version bumps).
          example: '2026-07-16'
        created_at:
          type: string
          description: Creation timestamp (ISO 8601).
          example: '2026-05-08T10:00:00Z'
        updated_at:
          type: string
          description: Last-update timestamp (ISO 8601).
          example: '2026-05-08T10:00:00Z'
      required:
        - id
        - object
        - name
        - status
        - refs
        - created_at
        - updated_at
    ErrorResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        error:
          description: Error payload
          allOf:
            - $ref: '#/components/schemas/ErrorPayload'
      required:
        - error
    V1CharacterAttributesDto:
      type: object
      properties:
        gender:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          example: female
        age:
          type: number
          minimum: 18
          maximum: 120
          example: 28
        ethnicity:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          example: east-asian
        hair_color:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          example: black
        hair_style:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          example: shoulder-length straight
        eye_color:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          example: brown
        body_type:
          type: string
          maxLength: 40
          example: athletic
        additional_details:
          type: string
          maxLength: 500
          description: >-
            Free-text catch-all for traits that do not fit the typed fields
            above. Unlike the typed fields, this applies on BOTH flows: on
            synthesize (`generate: true`) it is part of the full attribute
            description; on the upload flow it is the only attribute applied to
            generation (the typed fields are metadata-only there). On the upload
            flow treat it as a best-effort hint — your uploaded reference images
            are the primary signal, so supply a reference image for any trait
            that must be guaranteed. New typed fields land in v1.1 schema bumps.
          example: small scar above right eyebrow; warm smile
    CharacterAttributesResponse:
      type: object
      properties:
        gender:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: female
        age:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: 28
        ethnicity:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: east-asian
        hair_color:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: black
        hair_style:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: shoulder-length straight
        eye_color:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: brown
        body_type:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          example: athletic
        additional_details:
          type: object
          nullable: true
          description: Free-text catch-all for attributes outside the typed fields.
          example: small scar above right eyebrow; warm smile
    CharacterRefEntry:
      type: object
      properties:
        pose:
          type: string
          description: Pose label for this reference image.
          enum:
            - portrait
            - front
            - side
            - back
            - other
          example: front
        url:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Signed URL for the ref image. TTL is 24h — re-fetch the character
            (GET /v1/characters/{id}) to mint a fresh URL set when one expires.
          example: https://api.aurous-labs.com/storage/.../front.bin?token=…
      required:
        - pose
        - url
    ErrorPayload:
      type: object
      properties:
        type:
          type: string
          description: Broad error category
          example: invalid_request
          enum:
            - invalid_request
            - authentication
            - not_found
            - rate_limit
            - server_error
        code:
          type: string
          description: >-
            Stable error code (programmatic discriminator). Closed-beta gate
            emits one of `account_pending`, `account_rejected`,
            `account_suspended` on 403.
          example: balance_too_low
          enum:
            - invalid_request
            - missing_field
            - invalid_format
            - value_out_of_range
            - unsupported_lora_for_mode
            - generation_not_cancellable
            - prompt_blocked
            - reference_blocked
            - output_moderation_rejected
            - unknown_version
            - mutually_exclusive_input
            - character_not_ready
            - parameter_invalid_combination
            - style_retired
            - parameter_invalid
            - too_many_reference_images
            - action_not_available
            - upload_invalid
            - balance_too_low
            - idempotency_key_in_use
            - api_key_not_found
            - payload_too_large
            - missing_api_key
            - invalid_api_key
            - revoked_api_key
            - resource_not_found
            - forbidden_resource
            - account_pending
            - account_rejected
            - account_suspended
            - already_approved
            - already_rejected
            - already_suspended
            - invalid_reinstate_target
            - invalid_suspend_target
            - cannot_moderate_admin
            - too_many_requests
            - concurrency_limit_exceeded
            - tpm_rate_limit_exceeded
            - internal_error
            - provider_unavailable
            - provider_timeout
            - provider_not_configured
            - invalid_time_range
            - invalid_bucket_width
            - too_many_buckets
            - too_many_group_by
            - invalid_filter
            - invalid_page_token
            - export_too_large
            - user_already_exists
            - self_invite_forbidden
            - invite_link_failed
            - invite_rate_limited
            - model_not_found
            - model_disabled
            - model_wrong_kind
            - max_tokens_exceeds_hard_cap
            - chat_model_misconfigured
            - embeddings_input_too_large
            - embeddings_unsupported_dimensions
            - pricing_frozen
            - provider_rate_limited
            - chat_provider_request_invalid
            - chat_provider_auth_failed
            - chat_provider_unavailable
            - max_input_tokens_exceeded
            - chat_provider_unknown_error
            - embeddings_provider_unknown_error
            - embeddings_batch_not_supported
            - embeddings_input_too_many_items
            - embeddings_video_unsupported
            - encoding_format_unsupported
            - missing_max_tokens_no_model_default
            - chat_cancel_target_not_found
            - chat_completion_not_found
            - chat_cancel_target_already_terminal
            - chat_cancel_target_not_cancellable
            - tool_choice_required_unsupported
            - response_format_too_large
            - response_format_too_deep
            - invalid_cursor
            - invalid_cursor_for_endpoint
            - model_slug_exists
            - output_expired
            - output_not_available
            - content_filtered
            - image_generation_failed
            - reference_media_invalid
            - reference_media_cap_reached
            - reference_fetch_failed
            - unsupported_auth_method
            - insufficient_scope
            - uploads_expired
            - provider_unknown_error
            - first_frame_too_small
        message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable message
          example: Team available balance is 1.5 credits, generation requires 2.0.
        param:
          type: object
          description: Field name when the error is parameter-scoped
          example: prompt
          nullable: true
        doc_url:
          type: string
          description: Documentation link for this error code
          example: https://docs.aurous-labs.com/errors#balance_too_low
        request_id:
          type: string
          description: Echoes Aurous-Request-Id — quote in support tickets
          example: req_01HXMQ7Z3K8Y2VNABCDEFGHJKM
      required:
        - type
        - code
        - message
        - doc_url
        - request_id
  securitySchemes:
    api-key:
      type: apiKey
      in: header
      name: X-Api-Key
      description: Your team API key (starts with `al_live_`).

````