Serialized response formats

By default, the Object Storage API uses a text/plain response format. In addition, both JSON and XML data serialization response formats are supported.

To define the response format, use one of these methods:

Method	Description
format= format query parameter	Append this parameter to the URL for a GET request, where format is json or xml.
Accept request header	Include this header in the GET request. The valid header values are: text/plain Plain text response format. The default. application/jsontext JSON data serialization response format. application/xml XML data serialization response format. text/xml XML data serialization response format.

Example 1. JSON example with format query parameter

For example, this request uses the format query parameter to ask for a JSON response:

$ curl -i $publicURL?format=json -X GET -H "X-Auth-Token: $token"

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Length: 96
X-Account-Object-Count: 1
X-Timestamp: 1389453423.35964
X-Account-Meta-Subject: Literature
X-Account-Bytes-Used: 14
X-Account-Container-Count: 2
Content-Type: application/json; charset=utf-8
Accept-Ranges: bytes
X-Trans-Id: tx274a77a8975c4a66aeb24-0052d95365
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 15:59:33 GMT

Object Storage lists container names with additional information in JSON format:

[
   {
      "count":0,
      "bytes":0,
      "name":"janeausten"
   },
   {
      "count":1,
      "bytes":14,
      "name":"marktwain"
   }
]

Example 2. XML example with Accept header

This request uses the Accept request header to ask for an XML response:

$ curl -i $publicURL -X GET -H "X-Auth-Token: $token" -H \
  "Accept: application/xml; charset=utf-8"

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Length: 263
X-Account-Object-Count: 3
X-Account-Meta-Book: MobyDick
X-Timestamp: 1389453423.35964
X-Account-Bytes-Used: 47
X-Account-Container-Count: 2
Content-Type: application/xml; charset=utf-8
Accept-Ranges: bytes
X-Trans-Id: txf0b4c9727c3e491694019-0052e03420
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:12:00 GMT

Object Storage lists container names with additional information in XML format:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<account name="AUTH_73f0aa26640f4971864919d0eb0f0880">
    <container>
        <name>janeausten</name>
        <count>2</count>
        <bytes>33</bytes>
    </container>
    <container>
        <name>marktwain</name>
        <count>1</count>
        <bytes>14</bytes>
    </container>
</account>

The remainder of the examples in this guide use standard, non-serialized responses. However, all GET requests that perform list operations accept the format query parameter or Accept request header.