---
title: Read
description: To retrieve a single resource, perform an HTTP GET on the resource by its case-sensitive identifier (_id) and accept a JSON response:
component: pingidm
version: 8.1
page_id: pingidm::crest/crest-read
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/8.1/crest/crest-read.html
keywords: ["Rest", "REST API", "JSON"]
---

# Read

To retrieve a single resource, perform an HTTP GET on the resource by its case-sensitive identifier (`_id`) and accept a JSON response:

```http
GET /users/some-id HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Accept: application/json
```

Parameters

You can use the following parameters:

* `_prettyPrint=true`

  Format the body of the response.

- `_fields=field[,field...]`

  Return only the specified fields in the body of the response.

  The `field` values are JSON pointers. For example if the resource is `{"parent":{"child":"value"}}`, `parent/child` refers to the `"child":"value"`.

  If the `field` is left blank, the server returns all default values.

* `_mimeType=mime-type`

  Some resources have fields whose values are multi-media resources such as a profile photo for example.

  If the feature is enabled for the endpoint, you can read a single field that is a multi-media resource by specifying the field and mime-type.

  In this case, the content type of the field value returned matches the mime-type that you specify, and the body of the response is the multi-media resource.

  The `Accept` header is not used in this case. For example, `Accept: image/png` does not work. Use the `_mimeType` query string parameter instead.