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Source: ocean/docs/troubleshooting-401-errors.md | ✏️ Edit on GitHub

Troubleshooting 401 Unauthorized Errors

This guide helps you resolve 401 (Unauthorized) errors that may appear in the browser console.

PostHog 401 Errors​

Symptoms​

  • Console errors showing POST https://us.i.posthog.com/flags/?v=2... 401 (Unauthorized)
  • PostHog analytics not working

Causes​

  1. Missing PostHog API key in environment variables
  2. Invalid or expired PostHog API key
  3. Incorrect PostHog project configuration

Solutions​

  1. Check if PostHog API key is set:

    # Check your .env file
    cat .env | grep VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY

  2. Verify the API key format:

    • PostHog API keys should start with phc_
    • Example: phc_1234567890abcdef...

  3. Set the correct environment variables:

    # .env or .env.local
    VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY=phc_your_actual_api_key_here
    VITE_POSTHOG_HOST=https://us.posthog.com
    VITE_POSTHOG_PROJECT_ID=your_project_id

  4. Get your PostHog API key:

    • Log in to PostHog
    • Go to Project Settings → API Keys
    • Copy the Project API Key (not Personal API Key)

  5. For local development without PostHog:

    • The app will now gracefully handle missing PostHog configuration
    • You'll see an info message in dev mode: "PostHog disabled: No API key provided"

GraphQL 401 Errors​

Symptoms​

  • Console errors showing POST https://fldiayolmgphysdwgsuk.supabase.co/functions/v1/graphql-v2 401 (Unauthorized)
  • Data not loading in the application
  • "Authentication failed" error messages

Causes​

  1. Expired JWT access token
  2. Missing authentication token
  3. Invalid Supabase session
  4. Edge function authentication issues

Solutions​

  1. Force a session refresh:

    // In browser console
    localStorage.clear()
    sessionStorage.clear()
    location.reload()

  2. Check if you're properly logged in:

    • Sign out and sign back in
    • This will generate a fresh access token

  3. Verify Supabase configuration:

    # Required environment variables
    VITE_SUPABASE_URL=https://your-project.supabase.co
    VITE_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_anon_key_here

  4. Check JWT token expiration:

    // In browser console, check your current session
    const session = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('sb-fldiayolmgphysdwgsuk-auth-token'))
    console.log('Access token:', session?.access_token)
    console.log('Expires at:', new Date(session?.expires_at * 1000))

  5. For persistent issues:

    • Clear all browser data for the site
    • Check if Supabase Edge Functions are properly deployed
    • Verify Row Level Security (RLS) policies in Supabase

Prevention​

The codebase now includes improved error handling:

  1. PostHog errors are suppressed when no API key is provided
  2. GraphQL 401 errors show user-friendly messages
  3. Automatic retry logic for temporary network issues
  4. Better error boundaries to prevent app crashes

Development Tips​

  1. Running without PostHog:

    • Simply don't set VITE_POSTHOG_API_KEY
    • The app will run normally without analytics

  2. Testing authentication:

    • Use the browser's Network tab to inspect GraphQL requests
    • Check the Authorization header is present
    • Verify the JWT token format: Bearer eyJ...

  3. Debugging GraphQL errors:

    • Enable GraphQL client debug mode in development
    • Check Supabase Edge Function logs
    • Verify CORS settings for your domain

Getting Help​

If you continue to experience issues:

  1. Check the Supabase Status Page
  2. Review PostHog Status
  3. Check GitHub Issues for similar problems
  4. Contact support with:
    • Browser console logs
    • Network tab screenshots
    • Environment configuration (without secrets)