> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://defi-cli.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Reliability Patterns

> Error handling, retries, stale policy, and strict-mode strategies for production agents.

## Error-first flow

When command exit code is non-zero:

1. Parse error envelope from stderr.
2. Branch on `error.code`.
3. Decide retry/fallback/abort.

## Core retry and fallback guidance

* Retry on `11` (`rate_limited`) and `12` (`provider_unavailable`) with backoff.
* Do not retry on `2` (`usage_error`) until input is corrected.
* Retry on `10` (`auth_error`) only after key provisioning.
* Treat `14` (`stale_data`) as SLO breach.

## Cache/staleness strategy

* Default cache mode is usually best for interactive and agent loops.
* Use `--no-stale` for strict freshness.
* Use `--max-stale` to control tolerated stale window on temporary provider failures.

## Strict-mode strategy

* Use `--strict` when partial provider aggregation is unacceptable.
* In strict mode, partial results fail with code `15`.

## Suggested wrapper behavior

* Always capture stdout and stderr separately.
* Treat stdout as success payload only when exit code is `0`.
* Persist `meta.request_id` for trace correlation.