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

# Update an author

> Update an existing author.

```ts AdonisJS wrap theme={"dark"}
import app from '@adonisjs/core/services/app'
import { SiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk'

const site = await app.container.make(SiteClient)
const author = await site.authors().updateAuthor({ id: 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6' })
```

```json 200 wrap theme={"dark"}
{
  "title": "Example title",
  "bio": "Example bio",
  "_user": [
    {}
  ],
  "showOnSite": true,
  "showPhoto": true,
  "slug": "example-slug",
  "visibility": "public",
  "scheduledPublish": "Example scheduled publish",
  "scheduledUnpublish": "Example scheduled unpublish",
  "archived": false,
  "_id": "clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6",
  "type": "Example type",
  "createdAt": "2026-10-24T09:30:00.000Z",
  "updatedAt": "2026-10-24T09:30:00.000Z",
  "aposShareKey": "k3v9x2m7q1z8w4p6"
}
```

## In your app

A controller answers a route on your app: it calls `updateAuthor()` and returns the answer.

**1. Add the controller**

```ts app/controllers/update_author_controller.ts theme={"dark"}
import { inject } from '@adonisjs/core'
import type { HttpContext } from '@adonisjs/core/http'
import { SiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk'

@inject()
export default class UpdateAuthorController {
  constructor(protected site: SiteClient) {}

  async handle({ params }: HttpContext) {
    return this.site.authors().updateAuthor({ id: params.id })
  }
}
```

**2. Add the route**

```ts start/routes.ts theme={"dark"}
import router from '@adonisjs/core/services/router'

const UpdateAuthorController = () => import('#controllers/update_author_controller')

router.patch('/author/:id', [UpdateAuthorController])
```

Put it behind your auth middleware (`.use(middleware.auth())`): it acts with your key’s access.

**3. Call it**

Your own page’s form or script sends `PATCH /author/clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6` and gets back its answer as JSON. Test it, below, calls it.

## Find the id

`id` is the document’s `_id`, from a list. Ask the list for only the fields you need: each row is a document’s `id` and those fields.

```ts AdonisJS wrap theme={"dark"}
import app from '@adonisjs/core/services/app'
import { SiteClient } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-sdk'

const site = await app.container.make(SiteClient)
const row = (await site.authors().listAuthorsPick(['title', 'slug'])).find((each) => each.slug === 'getting-started') // { id, title, slug }, or undefined
```

Pass `row.id` as `id`. Drafts: list with `{ aposMode: 'draft' }` to get the draft’s id ([Find an id](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/find-an-id.md)).

> [accordion] Required parameters
>
> One object, e.g. `updateAuthor({ id })`; leave out the optional fields.
>
> **id** `string` *required*
>
> **Required.** The document’s `_id`: a full id names its own locale and mode (the draft’s `…:en:draft`, the published one’s `…:en:published`; no `aposMode` needed), a bare `aposDocId` takes the request’s (`aposLocale`, `aposMode`).

> [accordion] Optional parameters
>
> **aposMode** `AposMode | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `"published"`. `published` (the default) or `draft`. Drafts need a credential that may see them: an API key with the type’s write scope (`content:<type>:write`), or a signed-in editor. The public and a key with only the read scope get 403. One of `draft`, `published`.
>
> **aposLocale** `string | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out (or pass `null`) and it isn’t sent: the site’s default applies. The locale to read or write, e.g. `en` (default: the site’s default locale).
>
> **title** `string | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `""`. Its title: the name it goes by in every list, and the heading of its page where it has one.
>
> **bio** `string | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `""`. Optional one or two sentences about this author.
>
> **user** `readonly Readonly\<Record\<string, unknown\>\>[] | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** The FetchskiCMS login account this author profile belongs to (used to source the photo, and by SSO to sync it). Leave empty for guest contributors. The related `@apostrophecms/user` documents, in order (empty when none). To set it, send a list of `{ "_id": "…" }`, one per document (one at most); a document the site can’t find is left out. At most 1 items.
>
> **showOnSite** `boolean | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `true`. Master switch for this author’s public byline. Turn off to hide the name AND photo on every post that credits this author.
>
> **showPhoto** `boolean | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `true`. When on, the linked login account’s profile photo appears next to this author. Has no effect without a login account, or when “Show author on the site” is off.
>
> **slug** `string | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `""`. The URL name: lowercase words joined by hyphens (letters outside a–z, even emoji, are kept).
>
> **visibility** `Visibility | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `"public"`. Select whether this content is public or private. One of `public`, `loginRequired`.
>
> **scheduledPublish** `string | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out (or pass `null`) and it isn’t sent: the site’s default applies. An ISO 8601 date and time, e.g. `2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z`.
>
> **scheduledUnpublish** `string | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out (or pass `null`) and it isn’t sent: the site’s default applies. An ISO 8601 date and time, e.g. `2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z`.
>
> **archived** `boolean | null | undefined`
>
> **Optional.** Leave it out and the site uses `false`. In the archive: kept, but out of every list and off the site until it is restored. `false` (or null) for a live document.

> [accordion] Returns
>
> An `Author`. Author content type. Read its properties (`author.title`): each says whether the site always sends it. The example answer is the site’s wire JSON: some keys differ from the property names (`_id` → `id`, `_user` → `user`).
>
> **title** `string`
>
> **Always sent.** Its title: the name it goes by in every list, and the heading of its page where it has one.
>
> **id** `string`
>
> **Always sent.** The document’s id. On a type with drafts it ends in its locale and mode (`…:en:published`, `…:en:draft`): the part before the first colon is its `aposDocId`, shared by both copies. The `{_id}` the type’s routes take.
>
> **type** `string`
>
> **Always sent.** The document type’s name: always this type’s.
>
> **bio** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. Optional one or two sentences about this author.
>
> **user** `readonly Readonly\<Record\<string, unknown\>\>[] | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. The FetchskiCMS login account this author profile belongs to (used to source the photo, and by SSO to sync it). Leave empty for guest contributors. The related `@apostrophecms/user` documents, in order (empty when none). To set it, send a list of `{ "_id": "…" }`, one per document (one at most); a document the site can’t find is left out. At most 1 items.
>
> **showOnSite** `boolean | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. Master switch for this author’s public byline. Turn off to hide the name AND photo on every post that credits this author.
>
> **showPhoto** `boolean | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. When on, the linked login account’s profile photo appears next to this author. Has no effect without a login account, or when “Show author on the site” is off.
>
> **slug** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. The URL name: lowercase words joined by hyphens (letters outside a–z, even emoji, are kept).
>
> **visibility** `Visibility | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. Select whether this content is public or private. One of `public`, `loginRequired`; a newer site may send others, so keep a fallback.
>
> **scheduledPublish** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. An ISO 8601 date and time, e.g. `2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z`.
>
> **scheduledUnpublish** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. An ISO 8601 date and time, e.g. `2026-10-21T14:30:00.000Z`.
>
> **archived** `boolean | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. In the archive: kept, but out of every list and off the site until it is restored. `false` (or null) for a live document.
>
> **createdAt** `Date | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. When it was created (ISO 8601). Format: an ISO 8601 date and time.
>
> **updatedAt** `Date | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. When it last changed (ISO 8601). Format: an ISO 8601 date and time.
>
> **aposShareKey** `string | null`
>
> **Sometimes sent:** `undefined` when the site leaves it out, and it can be `null`. The draft’s preview share key, while its share link is on: the link is the draft’s `_url` with `aposShareKey` and `aposShareId` (the draft’s `_id`) in its query. Absent otherwise, and on published documents.

> [accordion] Errors
>
> Nothing to catch: the SDK retries what is safe, and throws the rest as the classes below. Your exception handler turns them into your app’s own answers, once for every call (see [Map SDK errors to responses](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/calling-the-api.md#map-sdk-errors-to-responses)); catch only what you want to react to here.
>
> **ValidationFailed** `400`
>
> The site refused what was sent: `errors` lists each field’s problem, `siteMessage` the first.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `errors` (field → messages), `siteMessage`.
>
> **AuthenticationFailed** `401`
>
> The API key is missing or refused (malformed, revoked, expired), or a signature its signing mode needs is missing or stale.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **Forbidden** `403`
>
> The key may not do this: a scope it lacks, or an address outside its allowlist. `siteMessage` names it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **NotFound** `404`
>
> Nothing matches, or the caller may not see it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **SiteError** `500`
>
> The site failed. Its logs say why.
>
> **Retried first:** No: a write may have landed. **Read:** `siteMessage`, `errorName`, `data`.
>
> **SiteUnreachable** `no answer`
>
> No answer: DNS, a refused connection, TLS, or the timeout (15 s per attempt by default).
>
> **Retried first:** Only when nothing reached the site (`neverConnected()`); never after a timeout, when it may have landed. **Read:** `reason`, `neverConnected`.
>
> **RequestNotSent** `not sent`
>
> The client refused to send it (e.g. a path segment of `..`); the site never saw it.
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `reason` (what to change).
>
> **SiteRequestFailed** `any other`
>
> Any other status, or a success whose JSON doesn’t match this SDK version’s types (update the SDK).
>
> **Retried first:** No. **Read:** `reason`, `status`.
>
> **UnknownSite** `setup`
>
> `sites.forSite('acme')` named a slug `config/attract.ts` doesn’t list (with the keys in the database: no row in `attract_api_keys`).
>
> **Retried first:** No: nothing was sent. **Read:** `message`, `slug`.
>
> **SiteConfigurationError** `setup`
>
> The site’s entry is wrong: a malformed `baseUrl` or key, a key filed under another slug, or no default site. `node ace attract:check` names the fix.
>
> **Retried first:** No: nothing was sent. **Read:** `message` (what to fix).

## Behavior

* **Access:** an API key with `content:authors:write` (or a master above it: `content:authors:all`, `content:all`, `admin:all`). In published mode (the default) it goes live too, so the key also needs `content:authors:publish` (or a master above it); send `aposMode=draft` (or a draft `_id` and no `aposMode`) to change only the draft. A signed-in person may call it as far as their own permissions allow; anyone else gets 403.
* **Rate limit:** the key’s own writes-per-minute limit, set when the key is created (default 120); over it, 429 with `Retry-After`. The client waits and retries for you; you see `RateLimited` only if that runs out.
* **Retries:** a write is sent again only after a 429 (refused before it acted) or when it never reached the site. After a timeout or a 5xx it may have landed: check before you send it again.
* **Timeout:** 15 s per attempt by default; raise `timeout` (milliseconds) in `config/attract.ts` for longer.

## Test it

It calls the controller above with the SDK faked: `fakeAttract()` puts the fake in the container for this one test, and it answers every call with a valid example, so nothing leaves your machine and no key is read. Save it as `tests/unit/authors_update_author.spec.ts`, then run your tests:

```ts tests/unit/authors_update_author.spec.ts theme={"dark"}
import { test } from '@japa/runner'
import app from '@adonisjs/core/services/app'
import testUtils from '@adonisjs/core/services/test_utils'
import { fakeAttract } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-adonis/testing'
import UpdateAuthorController from '#controllers/update_author_controller'

test('authors.updateAuthor', async () => {
  const site = fakeAttract()

  const ctx = await testUtils.createHttpContext()
  ctx.params = { id: 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6' }
  const controller = await app.container.make(UpdateAuthorController)
  await controller.handle(ctx)

  site.assertCalled('authors.updateAuthor', (args) => args.id === 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6')
})
```

```bash Terminal theme={"dark"}
node ace test
```

**Answer with your own values:** fake `authors.updateAuthor` with `factories.Author({...})`, the fields you give over a valid example.

```ts tests/unit/authors_update_author_answers.spec.ts theme={"dark"}
import { test } from '@japa/runner'
import { factories, fakeAttract } from '@fetchski/attract-cms-adonis/testing'

test('authors.updateAuthor answers your values', async ({ assert }) => {
  const site = fakeAttract({
    'authors.updateAuthor': factories.Author({ title: 'Your value' }),
  })

  const author = await site.authors().updateAuthor({ id: 'clx8m2k4p0000a1b2c3d4e5f6' })
  assert.containSubset(author, { title: 'Your value' })
})
```

## Related

> [card] [List an author’s locales](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/reference/authors/get-author-locales.md)
>
> `site.authors().getAuthorLocales()`

> [card] [List authors](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/reference/authors/list-authors.md)
>
> `site.authors().listAuthors()`

> [card] [Create an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/reference/authors/create-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().createAuthor()`

> [card] [Get an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/reference/authors/get-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().getAuthor()`

> [card] [Replace an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/reference/authors/replace-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().replaceAuthor()`

> [card] [Delete an author](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/adonisjs/reference/authors/delete-author.md)
>
> `site.authors().deleteAuthor()`

> [card] [PATCH /author/\{\_id}](https://docs.fetchski-attract.com/api-reference/authors/update-an-author.md)
>
> The endpoint this calls, in the API reference: the HTTP request and answer, and every rule the site checks.


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