transifex cli push failed 401 unauthorized

transifex cli push failed 401 unauthorized

TL;DR

Fixes the Transifex CLI 401 when pushing source files with a bad or expired credential. Regenerate the API token and update the client config. Use when push returns 401. Not for 404 resource errors.

The error

Error: 401 Unauthorized: Authentication credentials were not provided or are invalid.

Fix it

Step 1: Check the stored credential

node -e "console.log('inspect the transifex client config for the stored credential')"

Expected: You see which credential the CLI is sending.

Step 2: Generate a fresh API token

node -e "console.log('create a new token in the Transifex user settings')"

Expected: You have a new working token.

Step 3: Update the config and re-push

tx push --source

Expected: The push succeeds without the 401.

When to use this

• Transifex CLI push returns 401
• Push worked yesterday and broke today

When NOT to use this

• The CLI reports 404, the resource slug is wrong
• The push hangs, check the network not the credential

Tool and version compatibility

• Transifex CLI (tx)
• Transifex API v3 tokens

Variant phrasings

401 only in CI

The CI secret expired or was rotated. Update the stored secret.

401 for one user but not another

That user's token was revoked. Have them regenerate it.

Why it happens

The CLI authenticates every request with the stored token. Expired, revoked, or misconfigured tokens produce a 401 on the first authenticated call, which for most workflows is the push.

Edge cases

• Tokens inherit the user's project permissions; a valid token can still 403 on a new project
• Config files with the old token in the repo keep breaking fresh checkouts
• The CLI caches the token; editing the config file may need a CLI restart

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_X4MBkblUFbglh5QDrirhpA

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_X4MBkblUFbglh5QDrirhpA

Thread query: transifex cli push failed 401 unauthorized

TL;DR: Fixes the Transifex CLI 401 when pushing source files with a bad or expired credential. Regenerate the API token and update the client config. Use when push returns 401. Not for 404 resource errors.