# Create a new thing
`POST /api/2/things`
Creates a thing with a default `thingId` and a default `policyId`.
The thing will be empty, i.e. no features, definition, attributes etc. by default.
The default `thingId` consists of your default namespace and a UUID.
The default `policyId` is identical with the default `thingId`, and allows the currently authorized subject all permissions.
In case you need to create a thing with a specific ID, use a *PUT* request instead, as any `thingId` specified in the request body will be ignored.
The field `_created` is filled automatically with the timestamp of the creation. The field is read-only and can
be retrieved later by explicitly selecting it or used in search filters.
Authentication (security requirement alternatives):
```json
[
{
"OpenIDConnect": []
},
{
"NginxBasic": []
},
{
"Bearer": []
}
]
```
- OpenIDConnect: openIdConnect. OpenID Connect Discovery URL. The placeholder is replaced by Swagger UI when configured.
- NginxBasic: http (basic). Eclipse Ditto sandbox demo user (demo1 ... demo9) + password (demo)
- Bearer: http (bearer). A JSON Web Token issued by a supported OAuth 2.0 Identity Provider.
Parameters:
- `requested-acks` (query, string, optional) - Contains the "requested acknowledgements" for this modifying request as comma separated list. The HTTP call will
block until all requested acknowledgements were aggregated or will time out based on the specified `timeout`
parameter.
The default (if omitted) requested acks is `requested-acks=twin-persisted` which will block the
HTTP call until the change was persited to the twin.
Type: string
- `timeout` (query, string, optional) - Defines how long the backend should wait for completion of the request, e.g. applied when waiting for requested
acknowledgements via the `requested-acks` param. Can be specified without unit (then seconds are assumed) or
together with `s`, `ms` or `m` unit. Example: `42s`, `1m`.
The default (if omitted) and maximum timeout is `60s`. A value of `0` applies fire and forget semantics for
the command resulting in setting `response-required=false`.
Type: string
- `response-required` (query, boolean, optional) - Defines whether a response is required to the API call or not - if set to `false` the response will directly
sent back with a status code of `202` (Accepted).
The default (if ommited) response is `true`.
Type: boolean
- `allow-policy-lockout` (query, boolean, optional) - Defines whether a subject is allowed to create a policy without having WRITE permission on the policy
resource of the created policy.
The default (if ommited) is `false`.
Type: boolean
- `namespace` (query, string, optional) - Defines a custom namespace for the thing while generating a new thing ID.
Type: string
Example:
```json
"com.example.namespace"
```
Request body: application/json
JSON representation of the thing to be created. Use '{}' to create an empty thing with a default policy.
Type: NewThing
Schema: [NewThing](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/newthing.md)
- `_policy` (optional)
Type: Policy
The initial policy to create for this thing. This will create a separate policy entity managed by resource `/policies/{thingId}`.
Use the placeholder `{{ request:subjectId }}` in order to let the backend insert the authenticated subjectId of the HTTP request.
allOf:
Reference: [Policy](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/policy.md); Type: Policy
Policy consisting of policy entries
- `_copyPolicyFrom` (optional)
Type: string
This field may contain
* the policy ID of an existing policy.
The policy is copied and used for this newly created thing. The
caller needs to have READ and WRITE* access to the policy.
* a placeholder reference to a thing in the format {{ ref:things/[thingId]/policyId }} where you need to
replace [thingId] with a valid thing ID.
The newly created thing will then obtain a copy of the policy of
the referenced thing. The caller needs to have READ access to the thing and READ and WRITE*
access to the policy of the thing.
* The check for WRITE permission avoids locking yourself out of the newly created policy. You can
bypass this check by setting the header `allowPolicyLockout` to `true`. Be aware that the authorized
subject cannot modify the policy if you do not assign WRITE permission on the policy resource!
If you want to specify a policy ID for the copied policy, use the policyId field.
This field must not be used together with the field _policy. If you specify both _policy and _copyPolicyFrom
this will lead to an error response.
- `policyId` (required)
Type: string
The policy ID used for controlling access to this thing. Managed by
resource `/policies/{policyId}`.
- `definition` (optional)
Reference: [Definition](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/definition.md); Type: Definition
A single fully qualified identifier of a definition in the form '::' or a valid HTTP(s) URL
pattern: "([_a-zA-Z0-9\\-.]+):([_a-zA-Z0-9\\-.]+):([_a-zA-Z0-9\\-.]+)"
- `attributes` (optional)
Reference: [Attributes](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/attributes.md); Type: Attributes
An arbitrary JSON object describing the attributes of a thing.
- `features` (optional)
Reference: [Features](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/features.md); Type: Features
List of features where the key represents the `featureId` of each feature.
The `featureId` key must be unique in the list.
```json
{
"definition": "com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0",
"attributes": {
"manufacturer": "ACME demo corp.",
"location": "Berlin, main floor",
"serialno": "42",
"model": "Speaking coffee machine"
},
"features": {
"coffee-brewer": {
"definition": [
"com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0"
],
"properties": {
"brewed-coffees": 0
}
},
"water-tank": {
"properties": {
"configuration": {
"smartMode": true,
"brewingTemp": 87,
"tempToHold": 44,
"timeoutSeconds": 6000
},
"status": {
"waterAmount": 731,
"temperature": 44
}
}
}
}
}
```
Responses:
- 201: The thing was successfully created.
Content type: application/json
Type: Thing
Schema: [Thing](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/thing.md)
- `thingId` (required)
Type: string
Unique identifier representing the thing
- `policyId` (required)
Type: string
The ID of the policy which controls the access to this thing. policies are managed by resource `/policies/{policyId}`
- `definition` (optional)
Reference: [Definition](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/definition.md); Type: Definition
A single fully qualified identifier of a definition in the form '::' or a valid HTTP(s) URL
pattern: "([_a-zA-Z0-9\\-.]+):([_a-zA-Z0-9\\-.]+):([_a-zA-Z0-9\\-.]+)"
- `attributes` (optional)
Reference: [Attributes](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/attributes.md); Type: Attributes
An arbitrary JSON object describing the attributes of a thing.
- `features` (optional)
Reference: [Features](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/features.md); Type: Features
List of features where the key represents the `featureId` of each feature.
The `featureId` key must be unique in the list.
- `_revision` (optional)
Type: string
_(read-only)_ The revision is a counter which is incremented on each modification of a Thing. This field
is not returned by default but must be selected explicitly.
- `_created` (optional)
Type: string
_(read-only)_ The created timestamp of the Thing in ISO-8601 UTC format. The timestamp is set on creation
of a Thing. This field is not returned by default but must be selected explicitly.
- `_modified` (optional)
Type: string
_(read-only)_ The modified timestamp of the Thing in ISO-8601 UTC format. The timestamp is set on each
modification of a Thing. This field is not returned by default but must be selected explicitly.
- `_metadata` (optional)
Type: object
_(read-only)_ The Metadata of the Thing. This field is not returned by default but must be selected explicitly.
- 400: The request could not be completed. Possible reasons:
* the `thingId` must not be set in the request body
* the JSON body of the thing to be created is invalid
Content type: application/json
Type: AdvancedError
Schema: [AdvancedError](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/advancederror.md)
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the error
- `error` (required)
Type: string
The error code of the occurred exception
- `message` (required)
Type: string
The message of the error - what went wrong
- `description` (optional)
Type: string
A description how to fix the error or more details
- `href` (optional)
Type: string
A link to further information about the error and how to fix it
- 401: The request could not be completed due to missing authentication.
Content type: application/json
Type: AdvancedError
Schema: [AdvancedError](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/advancederror.md)
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the error
- `error` (required)
Type: string
The error code of the occurred exception
- `message` (required)
Type: string
The message of the error - what went wrong
- `description` (optional)
Type: string
A description how to fix the error or more details
- `href` (optional)
Type: string
A link to further information about the error and how to fix it
- 403: The request could not be completed.
Possible reasons:
* the caller would not have access to the thing after creating it with the given policy.
* the caller has insufficient permissions.
Content type: application/json
Type: AdvancedError
Schema: [AdvancedError](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/advancederror.md)
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the error
- `error` (required)
Type: string
The error code of the occurred exception
- `message` (required)
Type: string
The message of the error - what went wrong
- `description` (optional)
Type: string
A description how to fix the error or more details
- `href` (optional)
Type: string
A link to further information about the error and how to fix it
- 404: The request could not be completed. Possible reasons:
* the referenced thing does not exist.
* the caller had insufficient permissions to read the referenced thing.
* the policy that should be copied does not exist.
* the caller had insufficient permissions to read the policy that should be copied.
Content type: application/json
Type: AdvancedError
Schema: [AdvancedError](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/advancederror.md)
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the error
- `error` (required)
Type: string
The error code of the occurred exception
- `message` (required)
Type: string
The message of the error - what went wrong
- `description` (optional)
Type: string
A description how to fix the error or more details
- `href` (optional)
Type: string
A link to further information about the error and how to fix it
- 412: A precondition for reading or writing the (sub-)resource failed. This will happen for write requests, if you
specified an If-Match or If-None-Match header, which fails the precondition check against the current ETag of
the (sub-)resource. For read requests, this error may only happen for a failing If-Match header. In case of a
failing If-None-Match header for a read request, status 304 will be returned instead.
Content type: application/json
Type: AdvancedError
Schema: [AdvancedError](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/advancederror.md)
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the error
- `error` (required)
Type: string
The error code of the occurred exception
- `message` (required)
Type: string
The message of the error - what went wrong
- `description` (optional)
Type: string
A description how to fix the error or more details
- `href` (optional)
Type: string
A link to further information about the error and how to fix it
- 413: The created or modified entity is larger than the accepted limit of 100 kB.
Content type: application/json
Type: AdvancedError
Schema: [AdvancedError](https://sourcey-ditto.pages.dev/http-api-doc/models/advancederror.md)
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the error
- `error` (required)
Type: string
The error code of the occurred exception
- `message` (required)
Type: string
The message of the error - what went wrong
- `description` (optional)
Type: string
A description how to fix the error or more details
- `href` (optional)
Type: string
A link to further information about the error and how to fix it
- 424: One or more acknowledgement requests in the parameter `requested-acks`
were not fulfilled.
Content type: application/json
Type: any
Example:
```json
{
"acknowledgementLabel1": {
"status": 200,
"payload": "OK"
},
"acknnowledgementLabelN": {
"status": 403,
"payload": "Forbidden"
}
}
```
- `acknowledgementLabel1` (optional)
Type: any
Example:
```json
{
"status": 200,
"payload": "OK"
}
```
- `status` (required)
Type: integer
The HTTP status of the acknowledgement
- `payload` (optional)
Type: object | string | number | array | boolean
The payload of the acknowledgement
oneOf:
Type: object
Type: string
Type: number
Type: array
Type: boolean
## Examples
### cURL
```bash
curl -X POST 'https://ditto.eclipseprojects.io/api/2/things' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
"definition": "com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0",
"attributes": {
"manufacturer": "ACME demo corp.",
"location": "Berlin, main floor",
"serialno": "42",
"model": "Speaking coffee machine"
},
"features": {
"coffee-brewer": {
"definition": [
"com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0"
],
"properties": {
"brewed-coffees": 0
}
},
"water-tank": {
"properties": {
"configuration": {
"smartMode": true,
"brewingTemp": 87,
"tempToHold": 44,
"timeoutSeconds": 6000
},
"status": {
"waterAmount": 731,
"temperature": 44
}
}
}
}
}'
```
### JavaScript
```javascript
const body = `{
"definition": "com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0",
"attributes": {
"manufacturer": "ACME demo corp.",
"location": "Berlin, main floor",
"serialno": "42",
"model": "Speaking coffee machine"
},
"features": {
"coffee-brewer": {
"definition": [
"com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0"
],
"properties": {
"brewed-coffees": 0
}
},
"water-tank": {
"properties": {
"configuration": {
"smartMode": true,
"brewingTemp": 87,
"tempToHold": 44,
"timeoutSeconds": 6000
},
"status": {
"waterAmount": 731,
"temperature": 44
}
}
}
}
}`;
const response = await fetch('https://ditto.eclipseprojects.io/api/2/things', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_TOKEN',
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
},
body,
});
const data = await response.text();
```
### Python
```python
import requests
body = '''{
"definition": "com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0",
"attributes": {
"manufacturer": "ACME demo corp.",
"location": "Berlin, main floor",
"serialno": "42",
"model": "Speaking coffee machine"
},
"features": {
"coffee-brewer": {
"definition": [
"com.acme:coffeebrewer:0.1.0"
],
"properties": {
"brewed-coffees": 0
}
},
"water-tank": {
"properties": {
"configuration": {
"smartMode": true,
"brewingTemp": 87,
"tempToHold": 44,
"timeoutSeconds": 6000
},
"status": {
"waterAmount": 731,
"temperature": 44
}
}
}
}
}'''
response = requests.post(
'https://ditto.eclipseprojects.io/api/2/things',
data=body.encode('utf-8'),
headers={
'Authorization': 'Bearer YOUR_TOKEN',
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
},
)
print(response.text)
```