> Call POST /v1/check before a tool that writes. DENY means do not invoke the tool. For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. For the complete index, fetch https://docs.withwrit.com/llms.txt.

# Rename or disable/enable a principal

PATCH https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/{principalId}
Content-Type: application/json

API key required. Rename (same naming rules as create), disable, or
enable a live principal. Disabling is instant: every key of the
principal gets DENY on its next check until re-enabled. Renames never
rewrite history — receipts snapshot the principal name at write time.
Writes a PRINCIPAL_UPDATE receipt when anything changes.


Reference: https://docs.withwrit.com/api-reference/principals/rename-or-disable-enable-a-principal

## Servers

- `https://api.withwrit.com` (Writ gate, default)
- `https://j72ckh66ukck2kcbq3oiwxaalm0olxwb.lambda-url.us-east-1.on.aws` (Direct Lambda Function URL (fallback))

## Request

### Path parameters

- `principalId` (string, required)

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects an object.

- `name` (string, optional) — New directory name.
- `disabled` (boolean, optional) — true disables, false re-enables.

## Response

### 200

The updated principal.

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

Bad request — nothing to update, or the values are invalid.

### 401 Unauthorized Error

API key required — missing, malformed, or unknown key.

- `any`

### 404 Not Found Error

No such live principal in this tenant.

### 409 Conflict Error

Another live principal already has that name (case-insensitive).

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{
  "name": "invoicing",
  "disabled": true
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "createdAt": 1759000000,
  "deletedAt": null,
  "disabled": true,
  "keyCount": 3,
  "name": "invoicing",
  "principalId": "prn_9d2f4a1b2c3d",
  "tenantId": "ten_3fa8b91c2d44"
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
import requests

url = "https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId"

payload = {
    "name": "invoicing",
    "disabled": True
}
headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json"}

response = requests.patch(url, json=payload, headers=headers)

print(response.json())
```

```javascript Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
const url = 'https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId';
const options = {
  method: 'PATCH',
  headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
  body: '{"name":"invoicing","disabled":true}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"name\": \"invoicing\",\n  \"disabled\": true\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("PATCH", url, payload)

	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Patch.new(url)
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"name\": \"invoicing\",\n  \"disabled\": true\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.patch("https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"name\": \"invoicing\",\n  \"disabled\": true\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('PATCH', 'https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId', [
  'body' => '{
  "name": "invoicing",
  "disabled": true
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
using RestSharp;

var client = new RestClient("https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.PATCH);
request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"name\": \"invoicing\",\n  \"disabled\": true\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift Principals_renameOrDisableEnableAPrincipal_example
import Foundation

let headers = ["Content-Type": "application/json"]
let parameters = [
  "name": "invoicing",
  "disabled": true
] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://api.withwrit.com/v1/principals/principalId")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "PATCH"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```