Request Extra Fields

The number of fields returned for a resource can depend on the API endpoint used to request the resource.

The API reference documentation has each of these variations labeled in more detail. Most notably, the file, folder, web link, and user items have full and mini variations.

Using the field query parameter

To request a specific field for a resource that is not returned by default in the standard response, append the field query parameter to your request. The value of this parameter is a comma separated list of field names.

curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345?fields=is_package,lock \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"

{
  "etag": "1",
  "id": "12345",
  "is_package": false,
  "lock": null,
  "type": "file"
}

Resource

The following resource variants are available via our API.

Standard

The default set of fields returned in an API response is commonly known as the standard resource variant. It is generally returned when requesting a resource through the main APIs available for that resource. For example, when requesting the GET /files/:id endpoint the API will return the standard variation of a file.

curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345 \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"

{
    "content_created_at": "2019-06-20T06:04:41-07:00",
    "content_modified_at": "2019-06-20T06:04:41-07:00",
    "created_at": "2019-06-20T07:28:42-07:00",
    "created_by": {
        "id": "191919191",
        "login": "joe@example.com",
        "name": "Joe Box",
        "type": "user"
    },
    "description": "",
    "etag": "1",
    "file_version": {
        "id": "56663434454334",
        "sha1": "585afa5209bbd586c79499b7336601341ad06cce",
        "type": "file_version"
    },
    "id": "12345",
    ...
    "size": 65000647,
    "trashed_at": null,
    "type": "file"
}

Mini

Where a resource is returned as a nested part of another response it is often reduced in size, only returning some of the more essential fields. This variant is commonly known as the mini resource variant.

For example, when requesting the GET /folders/:id/items endpoint the API will return a mini variation of files and folders nested within the item_collection.

curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345 \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"

{
  "id": "0",
  "type": "folder",
  "item_collection": {
    "entries": [
      {
        "etag": "1",
        "file_version": {
          "id": "56663434454334",
          "sha1": "585afa5209bbd586c79499b7336601341ad06cce",
          "type": "file_version"
        },
        "id": "12345",
        "name": "Video.mp4",
        "sequence_id": "1",
        "sha1": "585afa5209bbd586c79499b7336601341ad06cce",
        "type": "file"
      }
      ...
    ]
    ...
  }
  ...
}

Full

The total set of fields that can be returned in an API response is commonly known as the full resource variant. It can generally be returned when requesting a resource through the main APIs available for that resource and by appending the fields query parameter.

For example, when requesting the GET /files/:id endpoint with the fields=is_package,lock parameter the API will return the fields specified plus the basic fields for the file.

curl https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345?fields=is_package,lock \
    -H "authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN"

{
  "etag": "1",
  "id": "12345",
  "is_package": false,
  "lock": null,
  "type": "file"
}