> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.octavehq.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Create Alternative > Create a new alternative (status quo / incumbent / DIY pattern) ## OpenAPI ````yaml post /api/v2/alternative/create openapi: 3.0.0 info: version: 1.0.0 title: Octave API description: API for Octave workspace management and AI-powered content generation servers: - url: https://app.octavehq.com security: - ApiKeyAuth: [] paths: /api/v2/alternative/create: post: tags: - Alternative summary: Create Alternative description: Create a new alternative (status quo / incumbent / DIY pattern) operationId: createAlternative requestBody: description: Alternative creation input content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: name: type: string minLength: 1 description: The external name of the status quo / incumbent alternative example: Manual spreadsheet workflow internalName: type: string description: The internal name of the alternative example: Excel + email research stack description: type: string description: A description of the alternative example: >- Prospects stitch together spreadsheets and email to track outreach whereItWorks: type: array items: type: string description: >- Conditions and contexts where this alternative genuinely holds up example: - Small team with one owner - Low deal volume whereItBreaks: type: array items: type: string description: >- Concrete failure modes and triggers where this approach stops working example: - Cross-team handoffs - Compliance review whoChampionsThisApproach: type: array items: type: string description: >- Personas or mindsets that advocate for this path and resist change example: - Frugal ops lead - Founder who built the spreadsheet whyOurApproachIsSuperior: type: array items: type: string description: >- Specific ways the offering addresses gaps and failure modes of this alternative example: - Single system of record - Auditable workflow perceivedBenefits: type: array items: type: string description: >- Why this approach feels rational, safe, or good enough organizationally example: - No new vendor risk - Familiar tools hiddenCostsAndPitfalls: type: array items: type: string description: >- Non-obvious costs, compounding debt, and second-order risks over time example: - Tribal knowledge loss - Rework when owners rotate customFields: allOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/CustomDataFields' - description: Custom fields for additional alternative information primaryOfferingOId: type: string description: >- Primary Offering to use as context when creating alternatives. If not provided, the primary company attached to the Workspace will be used. example: o_123456 linkingStrategy: allOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkingStrategy' - description: >- Strategy for linking this alternative to offerings (products/services) required: - name responses: '200': description: Alternative created successfully content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: _metadata: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Metadata' data: type: object properties: oId: type: string createdAt: type: string nullable: true updatedAt: type: string nullable: true deletedAt: type: string nullable: true archivedAt: type: string nullable: true name: type: string internalName: type: string description: type: string active: type: boolean default: true data: type: object nullable: true properties: whereItWorks: type: array items: type: string whereItBreaks: type: array items: type: string whoChampionsThisApproach: type: array items: type: string whyOurApproachIsSuperior: type: array items: type: string perceivedBenefits: type: array items: type: string hiddenCostsAndPitfalls: type: array items: type: string customFields: $ref: '#/components/schemas/CustomDataFields' required: - whereItWorks - whereItBreaks - whoChampionsThisApproach - whyOurApproachIsSuperior - perceivedBenefits - hiddenCostsAndPitfalls user: type: object nullable: true properties: oId: type: string nullable: true firstName: type: string nullable: true description: >- The first name of the user who created the alternative example: John lastName: type: string nullable: true description: >- The last name of the user who created the alternative example: Doe workspace: type: object nullable: true properties: oId: type: string nullable: true required: - oId - createdAt - updatedAt - name - internalName - description required: - _metadata - data '400': description: Bad request content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: _metadata: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Metadata' message: type: string required: - _metadata - message '404': description: Offering not found content: application/json: schema: type: object properties: _metadata: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Metadata' message: type: string required: - _metadata - message deprecated: false components: schemas: CustomDataFields: type: array items: $ref: '#/components/schemas/CustomDataFieldItem' LinkingStrategy: oneOf: - $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkingStrategyAll' - $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkingStrategySpecific' discriminator: propertyName: mode mapping: ALL: $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkingStrategyAll' SPECIFIC: $ref: '#/components/schemas/LinkingStrategySpecific' default: mode: ALL description: Strategy for linking this persona to offerings (products/services) Metadata: type: object properties: usage: type: number default: 0 description: API usage example: 0 requestId: type: string description: Request ID example: requestId message: type: string description: Message example: message timestamp: type: string description: Timestamp example: '2021-01-01T00:00:00.000Z' required: - requestId - timestamp CustomDataFieldItem: type: object properties: title: type: string value: type: array items: type: string required: - title - value LinkingStrategyAll: type: object properties: mode: type: string enum: - ALL description: >- Link to all active offerings in the workspace (products, services, and solutions) example: ALL required: - mode LinkingStrategySpecific: type: object properties: mode: type: string enum: - SPECIFIC description: >- Link to specific offerings by their IDs (products, services, and solutions) example: SPECIFIC offeringOIds: type: array items: type: string minLength: 1 minItems: 1 description: >- Array of offering IDs to link to (supports product, service, and solution oIds) example: - px_123 - sc_456 - sv_789 required: - mode - offeringOIds securitySchemes: ApiKeyAuth: type: apiKey in: header name: api_key ````