## TL;DR

For "StripeInvalidRequestError": agents that match on message strings break the moment Stripe rewords a message. Catch the type, branch on the code, and get the retry policy right. Errors carry err.type, one of: StripeCardError, StripeInvalidRequestError, StripeAPIError, StripeConnectionError, StripeAuthenticationError, StripeRateLimitError, StripePermissionError, StripeIdempotencyError. Plus err.code (for example card\_declined), err.statusCode, and err.requestId for support.

```text
StripeInvalidRequestError
```

## When to use

You are seeing this: Agents that match on message strings break the moment Stripe rewords a message. Use this skill when you run into "Stripe SDK errors: stripe-node err.type vs stripe-python error classes".

## When not to use

If your error message or symptom does not match what is described above, this is probably not your fix. Search for your exact error text instead of forcing this one to fit.

## Versions

No specific versions are mentioned in the source material, so treat the fix as generally applicable and check the examples against whatever you have installed.

## Stripe SDK error handling that does not page you at 3am

Stripe errors are typed. Agents that match on message strings break the moment Stripe rewords a message. Catch the type, branch on the code, and get the retry policy right.

## stripe-node

Errors carry `err.type`, one of: `StripeCardError`, `StripeInvalidRequestError`, `StripeAPIError`, `StripeConnectionError`, `StripeAuthenticationError`, `StripeRateLimitError`, `StripePermissionError`, `StripeIdempotencyError`. Plus `err.code` (for example `card_declined`), `err.statusCode`, and `err.requestId` for support.

## stripe-python

Errors are exception classes under `stripe.error`: `CardError`, `RateLimitError`, `InvalidRequestError`, `AuthenticationError`, `APIConnectionError`, `PermissionError`, `IdempotencyError`, all subclassing `StripeError`. Attributes: `e.code`, `e.http_status`, `e.request_id`.

## The retry policy

- Retry with backoff: `StripeConnectionError` / `APIConnectionError`, `StripeAPIError`, `StripeRateLimitError` / `RateLimitError`. Always send the same Idempotency-Key on retry (separate skill).
- Surface to the user, do not retry: `StripeCardError` / `CardError` (the card was declined; retrying the same card is harassment), `StripeInvalidRequestError` / `InvalidRequestError` (your code is wrong), `StripeAuthenticationError` (your key is wrong).
- Never retry a declined card automatically. A decline is an answer, not a transient failure.

## Logging

Log `err.code` (or `e.code`), the type, and the request ID on every failure. When an operator asks Stripe support about a failed payment, the request ID is the first thing support asks for. Message strings are for humans; codes are for code.