> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.elementary-data.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get a column

> Fetches a single column by id. Returns 404 if it doesn't exist in this environment.



## OpenAPI

````yaml api-reference/beta/openapi.json get /public/beta/{env_id}/columns/{column_id}
openapi: 3.1.0
info:
  description: >
    The Elementary Public API is a REST interface for programmatically reading

    Elementary's assets, columns, and lineage for one environment.


    **Authentication.** Send a bearer token (personal or account token) in the

    `Authorization` header. The token resolves to an account; results are scoped
    to

    the environments that token may view.


    **Environment scope.** Every resource lives under `/{env_id}`. Call

    `GET /environments` first to discover the ids you can access.


    **Pagination.** List endpoints are keyset-paginated: pass `limit` (default
    500,

    max 2000) and follow `next_cursor` until `has_more` is `false`. Cursors are
    opaque

    and bound to the filters that produced them — reusing a cursor with
    different

    filters returns `400`.


    **Incremental sync.** Every dataset supports a full scan (default). Assets
    and

    columns also expose two incremental feeds: `synced_since` (upserts) and

    `deleted_since` (soft-delete tombstones).


    **Rate limiting.** Requests are rate-limited per account; responses carry

    `RateLimit-*` headers and `429` responses include `Retry-After`.


    _Beta: the shape may change while we co-design with early adopters._
  title: Elementary Public API
  version: beta
servers:
  - url: https://prod.api.elementary-data.com
security:
  - bearerAuth: []
tags:
  - description: Discover accessible environments.
    name: Environments
  - description: Lineage assets — tables, views, BI assets.
    name: Assets
  - description: Columns of assets.
    name: Columns
  - description: Asset-to-asset lineage edges.
    name: Asset lineage
  - description: Column-level lineage edges.
    name: Column lineage
paths:
  /public/beta/{env_id}/columns/{column_id}:
    get:
      tags:
        - Columns
      summary: Get a column
      description: >-
        Fetches a single column by id. Returns 404 if it doesn't exist in this
        environment.
      operationId: get_column_public_beta__env_id__columns__column_id__get
      parameters:
        - description: Column identifier.
          in: path
          name: column_id
          required: true
          schema:
            description: Column identifier.
            title: Column Id
            type: string
        - description: Environment identifier that scopes the request.
          in: path
          name: env_id
          required: true
          schema:
            description: Environment identifier that scopes the request.
            title: Env Id
            type: string
      responses:
        '200':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/Column'
          description: Successful Response
        '400':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: Invalid cursor or request parameters.
        '401':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: Authentication is required.
        '403':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: The token does not have permission to access the resource.
        '404':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: The requested resource was not found.
        '422':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: Request validation failed.
        '429':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: Rate limit exceeded.
          headers:
            RateLimit-Limit:
              description: Maximum requests allowed in the current window.
              schema:
                type: integer
            RateLimit-Remaining:
              description: Requests remaining in the current window.
              schema:
                type: integer
            RateLimit-Reset:
              description: Seconds until the current rate-limit window resets.
              schema:
                type: integer
            Retry-After:
              description: Seconds to wait before retrying.
              schema:
                type: integer
        '500':
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiErrorResponse'
          description: An unexpected server error occurred.
components:
  schemas:
    Column:
      properties:
        asset_id:
          description: ID of the asset this column belongs to.
          title: Asset Id
          type: string
        data_type:
          anyOf:
            - type: string
            - type: 'null'
          description: Data type reported by the source platform.
          title: Data Type
        deleted_at:
          anyOf:
            - format: date-time
              type: string
            - type: 'null'
          description: Soft-delete timestamp. Present only in the `deleted_since` feed.
          title: Deleted At
        id:
          description: Unique column identifier.
          title: Id
          type: string
        name:
          description: Column name.
          title: Name
          type: string
        synced_at:
          anyOf:
            - format: date-time
              type: string
            - type: 'null'
          description: >-
            When Elementary last synced this column. Use with `synced_since` for
            incremental reads.
          title: Synced At
      required:
        - id
        - name
        - asset_id
      title: Column
      type: object
    ApiErrorResponse:
      properties:
        error:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/ApiError'
          description: Structured details about the error.
      required:
        - error
      title: ApiErrorResponse
      type: object
    ApiError:
      properties:
        code:
          description: Stable code identifying the type of error.
          title: Code
          type: string
        message:
          description: Human-readable explanation of the error.
          title: Message
          type: string
      required:
        - code
        - message
      title: ApiError
      type: object
  securitySchemes:
    bearerAuth:
      description: Personal or account token.
      scheme: bearer
      type: http

````