# GitLab CI: ERROR: Uploading artifacts as "archive" to coordinator... too large archive id=123 responseStatus=413 Request Entity Too Large

**Code:** `Uploading artifacts: too large archive` · **Category:** CI/CD · **Seen on:** GitLab CI

The job produced an artifact bigger than the instance or project's maximum artifact size.

## Meaning

GitLab.com limits artifact size per job; self-managed admins configure Maximum artifacts size. Reduce what you upload (only needed paths), compress build output, use `expire_in`, or publish large files to a package/object registry instead.

## Common causes

- `artifacts:paths` includes `node_modules`, `.git` or build caches
- Large binaries, videos or datasets as artifacts
- Instance limit set low by the administrator
- Reverse proxy limit (413) in front of a self-managed instance

## Quick fix

1. Limit `artifacts:paths` to deliverables only
2. Use `cache:` for dependencies, not artifacts
3. Ask the admin to raise the limit, or push big files to a registry

## Detailed fix by platform

### GitLab CI

1. Check size locally: `du -sh dist/ node_modules/`
2. Use `artifacts:expire_in: 1 week` to save storage

## Code examples

### Narrow artifacts

```yaml
build:
  script: npm run build
  artifacts:
    paths: [dist/]
    exclude: [dist/**/*.map]
    expire_in: 1 week
```

## How to diagnose

1. **Size** — How big is the artifact?
2. **Paths** — What is included?
3. **Limit** — Instance or proxy limit?

---
Source: [WhatIsMyError](https://whatismyerror.com/errors/cicd/gitlab-artifacts-too-large)