# Retrieve an attribute

Source: https://developers.swell.is/backend-api/attributes/retrieve-an-attribute

Retrieve an existing attribute using the ID, that was returned when created.

## Arguments

- `id` (objectId, required): The id of the attribute to retrieve.
- `expand` (string): Expanding link fields and child collections is performed using the expand argument.

  - For example, `expand=account` would return a related customer account if one exists.

  When the field represents a collection, you can specify the query limit,

  - For example, `expand=variants:10` would return up to 10 records of the variants collection.

  See [expanding ](https://developers.swell.is/backend-api/querying/expanding)for more details.
- `fields` (string): Return only the specified fields in the result.

  - For example `fields=name,slug` would return only the fields `name` and `slug` in the response.

  Supports nested object and array fields using dot-notation.

  - For example, `items.product_id`. The category `id` is always returned.
- `include` (string): Include one or more arbitrary queries in the response, possibly related to the main query.

  See [including ](https://developers.swell.is/backend-api/querying/including)for more details.

## Example request

`GET /attributes/:id`

**cURL**

```bash
$ curl https://api.swell.store/attributes/material \
  -u store-id:secret-key
```

**Node**

```javascript
const { swell } = require('swell-node');
swell.init('store-id', 'secret-key');

await swell.get('/attributes/{id}', {
  id: 'material',
});
```

**PHP**

```php
<?php $swell = new \Swell\Client('store-id', 'secret-key');

$swell->get('/attributes/{id}', [
  'id' => 'material',
]);
```

## Example response

```json
{
  "id": "material",
  "name": "Material",
  "date_created": "2019-04-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "required": false,
  "visible": true,
  "type": "dropdown",
  "values": [
    "Cotton",
    "Polyester",
    "Wool"
  ]
```