---
title: List access rules
description: List access rules or find a rule on an exact target.
doc_version: 0.1.0-preview
last_updated: 2026-09-14
---

# List access rules

`GET /namespaces/{namespace}/collections/{collection}/access-rules`

List access rules or find a rule on an exact target.

**Permission:** Cluster key, or a scoped key with read (write includes read).

[API key types and authentication](/engine/reference/authentication.md).

Access rules require an enforced collection. Rule targets use logical paths. API-key actions control writes independently of these reader rules.

Lists return items and next_cursor. Keep the same key and filters for the next page. List cursors expire after one hour.

folder and file return only a rule stored on that exact target, not a rule inherited from above. under lists every rule at or below a folder.

## Example request

```http
GET /namespaces/acme/collections/incident-logs/access-rules HTTP/1.1
Host: engine.example.com
Authorization: Bearer <GRAPHON_ENGINE_API_KEY>
```

## Path parameters

### `namespace`

**string · required**

Namespace name or ns_ ID. It must be visible to this key.

### `collection`

**string · required**

Collection name or col_ ID within the namespace. It must be visible to this key.

## Query parameters

### `folder`

**string · optional · nullable**

Find the rule on this exact folder prefix. Include its trailing /. This does not return an inherited rule. Do not combine with file or under.

### `file`

**string · optional · nullable**

Find the rule on this exact file path. This does not return an inherited rule. Do not combine with folder or under.

### `under`

**string · optional · nullable**

Return rules at or below this folder prefix. Include its trailing /. Do not combine with folder or file.

### `cursor`

**string · optional · nullable**

Opaque continuation token from next_cursor. Keep the same key, filters, and other request values. Omit it for the first page.

### `limit`

**integer · optional**

Maximum resources in this page. Default 50, minimum 1, maximum 100.

Default: `50`.

- Minimum: 1
- Maximum: 100

## Responses

### 200 · Success

A page of explicit rules. Exact-target filters do not return inherited rules.

Content type: `application/json`.

#### Response headers

##### `x-request-id`

**string · required**

Request correlation ID. Retain it when investigating a failed or unexpected request.

```json
{
  "items": [
    {
      "id": "acr_01K6Q6N7D8E9F0G1H2J3K4M5N6",
      "folder": "/reports/",
      "readers": [
        "user:ada@acme.example"
      ],
      "sealed": false,
      "created_at": "2026-10-06T10:00:00Z",
      "updated_at": "2026-10-06T10:00:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "next_cursor": null
}
```

#### Response fields

##### `items`

**array<object> · required**

Page of access rules visible to this key. An empty array means no resources matched.

###### `items[].created_at`

**string (date-time) · required**

Time the resource was created, as an ISO 8601 UTC timestamp.

###### `items[].file`

**string · optional · nullable**

Exact file path, such as /reports/incident.txt. Send exactly one of file and folder. The rule may exist before the file.

###### `items[].folder`

**string · optional · nullable**

Folder prefix, such as /reports/. Start and end with /. The root / covers the collection. Send exactly one of folder and file.

###### `items[].id`

**string · required**

Immutable access-rule ID with the acr_ prefix.

###### `items[].readers`

**array<string> · required**

User or group principals allowed by this rule. Principals match exact strings. Maximum 1,024 readers, each at most 256 UTF-8 bytes. An empty list denies retrieval.

###### `items[].sealed`

**boolean · required**

Whether this folder rule overrides every rule below it. Only folder rules can be sealed. The highest sealed ancestor governs a file.

###### `items[].updated_at`

**string (date-time) · required**

Time the resource last changed, as an ISO 8601 UTC timestamp.

##### `next_cursor`

**string · required · nullable**

Token for the next page, or null when this result has no next page. Do not parse or modify the token.

## Errors

[Error format and retry guidance](/engine/reference/errors.md).

### 400 · `invalid_request`

A field, path, parameter, or conditional request rule is invalid.

Correct the request. Unknown fields are rejected.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_request",
    "message": "A field, path, parameter, or conditional request rule is invalid.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": false,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

### 400 · `invalid_cursor`

The cursor expired or does not belong to this request and key.

Restart from the first page. Preserve the same key, filters, and request values when continuing.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_cursor",
    "message": "The cursor expired or does not belong to this request and key.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": false,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

### 401 · `unauthenticated`

The API key is missing, invalid, or revoked.

Send an active key in Authorization: Bearer or X-API-Key.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "unauthenticated",
    "message": "The API key is missing, invalid, or revoked.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": false,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

### 403 · `forbidden`

The key can see the resource but lacks permission for this operation.

Use a key with the required action or scope kind.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "forbidden",
    "message": "The key can see the resource but lacks permission for this operation.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": false,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

### 404 · `not_found`

The resource is absent, deleted, or outside this key’s scope.

Check the identifier and the key’s namespace and collection scope.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "The resource is absent, deleted, or outside this key’s scope.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": false,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

### 503 · `temporarily_unavailable`

A dependency, cluster readiness condition, or capacity limit prevents this operation.

Inspect retryable and details. Retry only when permitted, preserving the idempotency key for the same write.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "temporarily_unavailable",
    "message": "A dependency, cluster readiness condition, or capacity limit prevents this operation.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": true,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

### 500 · `internal_error`

An unexpected server failure prevented this request from completing.

Retain x-request-id for investigation. Follow retryable before retrying a write.

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "internal_error",
    "message": "An unexpected server failure prevented this request from completing.",
    "request_id": "req_example",
    "retryable": false,
    "details": {}
  }
}
```

## Other request languages

### cURL

```bash
curl -sS "$GRAPHON_ENGINE_URL/namespaces/acme/collections/incident-logs/access-rules" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $GRAPHON_ENGINE_API_KEY"
```

### Python

```python
import json
import os
import urllib.request

request = urllib.request.Request(
    os.environ["GRAPHON_ENGINE_URL"] + "/namespaces/acme/collections/incident-logs/access-rules",
    headers={
        "Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["GRAPHON_ENGINE_API_KEY"],
    },
    method="GET",
)
with urllib.request.urlopen(request) as response:
    print(response.read().decode())
```

### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await fetch(process.env.GRAPHON_ENGINE_URL + "/namespaces/acme/collections/incident-logs/access-rules", {
  method: "GET",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${process.env.GRAPHON_ENGINE_API_KEY}`,
  },
});
console.log(response.status, await response.text());
```

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.