anuraghazra/github-readme-stats · error · CustomError

USER_NOT_FOUND

USER_NOT_FOUND

Error message

Could not fetch user.

What it means

Raised when GitHub's GraphQL API returns a top-level errors array whose first entry has type "NOT_FOUND" and no message field. The literal "Could not fetch user." is only the fallback; if the GraphQL entry carries a message it is used instead. The accompanying secondary message (src/common/error.js:16) is "Make sure the provided username is not an organization", which is the real hint: the fetcher queries `user(login:)`, not `organization(login:)`, so orgs and non-user accounts cannot be resolved.

Source

Thrown at src/fetchers/top-languages.js:77

 * @param {number} count_weight Weightage to be given to count.
 * @returns {Promise<TopLangData>} Top languages data.
 */
const fetchTopLanguages = async (
  username,
  exclude_repo = [],
  size_weight = 1,
  count_weight = 0,
) => {
  if (!username) {
    throw new MissingParamError(["username"]);
  }

  const res = await retryer(fetcher, { login: username });

  if (res.data.errors) {
    logger.error(res.data.errors);
    if (res.data.errors[0].type === "NOT_FOUND") {
      throw new CustomError(
        res.data.errors[0].message || "Could not fetch user.",
        CustomError.USER_NOT_FOUND,
      );
    }
    if (res.data.errors[0].message) {
      throw new CustomError(
        wrapTextMultiline(res.data.errors[0].message, 90, 1)[0],
        res.statusText,
      );
    }
    throw new CustomError(
      "Something went wrong while trying to retrieve the language data using the GraphQL API.",
      CustomError.GRAPHQL_ERROR,
    );
  }

  let repoNodes = res.data.data.user.repositories.nodes;
  /** @type {Record<string, boolean>} */

View on GitHub (pinned to 54a7985aee)

Solutions

1. Confirm the username resolves to a real GitHub user account by opening https://github.com/<username>.
2. If the target is an organization, note that fetchTopLanguages does not support orgs via this endpoint; switch to a per-user account or a different data source.
3. Check for typos, casing, or a recently renamed handle, and update the request with the current login.
4. Handle USER_NOT_FOUND gracefully in your UI so the consumer sees 'user not found' rather than a raw stack trace.

// Lightweight preflight: confirm the login resolves to a GitHub USER (not org)
async function assertGitHubUserExists(login, token) {
  const resp = await axios.post(
    "https://api.github.com/graphql",
    { query: "query($l:String!){user(login:$l){login}}", variables: { l: login } },
    { headers: { Authorization: `token ${token}` } },
  );
  if (resp.data.errors?.[0]?.type === "NOT_FOUND" || !resp.data.data?.user) {
    throw new Error(`GitHub user '${login}' not found (or it is an organization)`);
  }
}
// call before fetchTopLanguages to fail fast with a clearer message

// Distinguish this error from others by its static type field
function isUserNotFound(err) {
  return (
    err instanceof CustomError &&
    err.type === CustomError.USER_NOT_FOUND
  );
}

try {
  const topLangs = await fetchTopLanguages(username);
} catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof CustomError && err.type === CustomError.USER_NOT_FOUND) {
    // render a 'user not found' card; do NOT retry — the login will not resolve
    return res.send(renderError({ message: err.message, secondaryMessage: err.secondaryMessage }));
  }
  throw err;
}

When it happens

Trigger: The retryer returns a response whose res.data.errors[0].type === "NOT_FOUND". Concretely: the login does not correspond to any GitHub user account (typo, renamed account, deleted user), or the login belongs to an organization (the `user(login: ...)` field yields null and GitHub emits a NOT_FOUND error). RATE_LIMITED errors are filtered out earlier by the retryer, so they never reach this branch.

Common situations: Passing an organization name (e.g. a company account) where a personal user login is expected; a renamed GitHub username whose old handle no longer resolves; a typo in the username; a user who deleted their GitHub account.

Related errors

• ${res.data.errors[0].message}
• Gist not found
• Not found
• USER_NOT_FOUND
• res.statusText

AI-assisted analysis of anuraghazra/github-readme-stats@54a7985aee (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/fa0797abd0a49739. Report an issue: GitHub.