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# Entity features

This topic lists the array of features supported by an entity's metadata. Entity metadata describes the features that the entity supports. This topic shows how the features are represented in the REST API.

Each item is a JSON object, features. Features and relations are represented as a reference field for both entities involved in the relation.

In this topic:

## REST

The following are the supported REST API-related definitions:

Field | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: rest.
url | The resource URL relative to the context root.
methods | An array of strings that the HTTP protocol methods supported. Values: GET POST PUT DELETE

Example: This example is for the workspaces entity (at the shared space level).

    {

        "name": "rest",

        "url": "workspaces",

        "methods": [ "GET", "POST", "PUT" ]

    }

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## Mailing

The mailing feature indicates whether the entity supports mailing.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: mailing.

    Example: {

        “name”: “mailing”

        “url”: “mails”

    }

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## Non- auditable

The non-auditable feature indicates whether the entity should appear in an audit.

For details, see Auditing entities (technical preview).

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: non-auditable. If this feature is listed for an entity, the entity does not appear during an audit.

    Example: {

        “name”: “non-auditable”

    }

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## History

The history feature indicates whether the entity should be listed when using the REST API for viewing history.

For details, see View history (technical preview).

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: history. If this feature is listed for an entity, the entity does appear when viewing history.

    Example: {

        “name”: “history”

    }

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## Drafts

The drafts feature indicates whether drafts of work items (epics, features, user stories, and defects) can be created.

Use drafts to bypass validation rules when POSTing work items via the API. This allows integrations using the API to quickly create work items without, for example, validating required fields.

For details, see Draft entities.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: draft_mode.

    Example: {

        “name”: “draft_mode”

    }

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## Attachments

The attachments feature indicates whether the entity supports attachments by accessing the <context>/attachments API.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: attachments. To add an attachment to entities that support this feature, reference the entity in the <context>/attachments request using the field on the attachment entity: owner_<entity name> Where entity name can be the entity name or the parent entity name, if the entity has the subtype of attribute. The actual field name can be queried via the field metadata API for the attachment entity. For details, see Field metadata reference. Example: owner_defect The attachment entity must have a reference to only one owner entity.

    Example: {

    {

        “name”: “attachments”

    }

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## Comments

The comments feature indicates whether the entity supports comments through the <context>/comments API.

Field | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: comments. The actual field name can be queried via the field metadata API for the comment entity. For details, see Field metadata reference. Example: owner_defect The comment entity must have a reference to only one owner entity.

    Example: {

        “name”: “comments”

        “relation_name”: “comments_to_epic”

    }

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## Rules

The rules feature indicates whether the entity supports rules.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: business_rules.

    Example: {

        “name”: “business_rules”

    }

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## Subtypes

The subtypes feature indicates that the entity has subtypes.

Aggregated entities have a field called subtype which stores the subtype of the entity instance. Similarly, the subtype instances have a field called Subtype of , the aggregated entity to which they are related.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: subtypes.
types | A string array of the names of the entities, which are the subtypes of this entity.

    Example: {

        “name”: “subtypes”,

        “types”: [

            “defect”,

            “feature”,

            “epic”,

            “work_item_root”,

            “story”

        ]

    }

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## Subtype of

The subtype of feature indicates that an entity is a subtype of another entity.

Entities that are a "subtype of" have a field called subtype of, the aggregated entity to which they are related. Similarly, aggregated entities have a field called subtype, which stores the subtype of the entity instance.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: subtype_of.
type | The name of the entity, which has this entity in the subtypes feature definition.

    Example: {

        “name”: “subtype_of”,

        “type”: “work_item”

    }

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## Phases

The phases feature provides the ability to advance the status of the entity from phase-to-phase using the defined workflow.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: phases.

    Example: {

        “name”: “phases”

    }

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## Hierarchy

The hierarchy feature indicates whether the entity is hierarchical.

Fields | Description
--- | ---
name | The name of the feature is a constant value: hierarchy.
root | The root entity in the hierarchy, with the following fields: type. The type of the root entity—often, work_item_root. id. The ID of the root entity. For non-empty arrays, multi-reference field by name children exists on the entity (this field will be defined in the fields metadata API). For non-empty arrays, reference field by name parents exists on the entity (this field will be defined in the fields metadata API). child_types. An array of strings, the allowed types for child entities. parent_types. An array of string, the allowed types for parent entities. max_depth. The maximum number of levels allowed in the hierarchy.

Example of the hierarchy feature for application modules (product areas)

This example shows how the hierarchy feature looks for the product_area entity (also known as application modules).

    Example: {

          "features": [
            {
              "methods": [
                "DELETE",
                "POST",
                "GET",
                "PUT"
              ],
              "name": "rest",
              "url": "product_areas"
            },
            {
              "parent_types": [
                "product_area"
              ],
              "max_depth": 4,
              "root": {
                "type": "product_area",
                "id": "1001"
              },
              "name": "hierarchy",
              "child_types": [
                "product_area"
              ]
            }
          ],
          "name": "product_area",
          "description": "Also known as an application module, a product area is a functional area of the application you are developing. Use product areas to test overall product quality (such as regression testing, end-to-end cross-feature testing).",
          "label": "Product Area",
          "type": "entity_metadata"
        },

Example of how the hierarchy feature looks for the feature entity with a subtype of work_item

    Example: {

          "features": [
            {
              "name": "mailing",
              "url": "mails"
            },
            {
              "name": "attachments",
            },
            {
              "parent_types": [
                "epic"
              ],
              "max_depth": 4,
              "root": {
                "type": "work_item_root",
                "id": "1001"
              },
              "name": "hierarchy",
              "child_types": [
                "defect",
                "story",
                "quality_story"
              ]
            },
            {
              "name": "comments",
            },
            {
              "name": "phases"
            },
            {
              "name": "subtype_of",
              "type": "work_item"
            },
            {
              "name": "user_defined_fields"
            },
            {
              "methods": [
                "DELETE",
                "POST",
                "GET",
                "PUT"
              ],
              "name": "rest",
              "url": "features"
            },
            {
              "name": "business_rules"
            }
          ],
          "name": "feature",
          "description": null,
          "label": "Feature",
          "type": "entity_metadata"
        },

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See also:

- Entity metadata reference
- Field metadata reference
- Retrieving metadata
- Examples of retrieving metadata

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