# metafieldDefinition - admin-graphql - QUERY
Version: 2024-10

## Description
Returns a metafield definition by identifier.

### Access Scopes
API client to have access to the resource type associated with the metafield definition.



## Arguments
* [id](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/ID): ID! - The ID of the MetafieldDefinition to return.


## Returns
* [access](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/MetafieldAccess): MetafieldAccess! The access settings associated with the metafield definition.
* [capabilities](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/MetafieldCapabilities): MetafieldCapabilities! The capabilities of the metafield definition.
* [constraints](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/MetafieldDefinitionConstraints): MetafieldDefinitionConstraints The constraints that determine what subtypes of resources a metafield definition applies to.
* [description](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/String): String The description of the metafield definition.
* [id](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/ID): ID! A globally-unique ID.
* [key](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/String): String! The unique identifier for the metafield definition within its namespace.
* [metafieldsCount](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/Int): Int! The count of the metafields that belong to the metafield definition.
* [name](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/String): String! The human-readable name of the metafield definition.
* [namespace](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/String): String! The container for a group of metafields that the metafield definition is associated with.
* [ownerType](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/enums/MetafieldOwnerType): MetafieldOwnerType! The resource type that the metafield definition is attached to.
* [pinnedPosition](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/Int): Int The position of the metafield definition in the pinned list.
* [standardTemplate](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/StandardMetafieldDefinitionTemplate): StandardMetafieldDefinitionTemplate The standard metafield definition template associated with the metafield definition.
* [type](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/MetafieldDefinitionType): MetafieldDefinitionType! The type of data that each of the metafields that belong to the metafield definition will store.
Refer to the list of [supported types](https://shopify.dev/apps/metafields/types).
* [useAsCollectionCondition](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/Boolean): Boolean! Whether the metafield definition can be used as a collection condition.
* [validationStatus](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/enums/MetafieldDefinitionValidationStatus): MetafieldDefinitionValidationStatus! The validation status for the metafields that belong to the metafield definition.
* [validations](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/objects/MetafieldDefinitionValidation): MetafieldDefinitionValidation! A list of [validation options](https://shopify.dev/apps/metafields/definitions/validation) for
the metafields that belong to the metafield definition. For example, for a metafield definition with the
type `date`, you can set a minimum date validation so that each of the metafields that belong to it can only
store dates after the specified minimum.
* [visibleToStorefrontApi](/docs/api/admin-graphql/2024-10/scalars/Boolean): Boolean! Whether each of the metafields that belong to the metafield definition are visible from the Storefront API.


## Examples
### Retrieve a count of a resource's metafields.
Curl example: "curl -X POST \\\nhttps://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2024-10/graphql.json \\\n-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n-H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \\\n-d '{\n\"query\": \"query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) { metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) { id metafieldsCount } }\",\n \"variables\": {\n    \"metafieldDefinitionId\": \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456166\"\n  }\n}'\n"
Node example: "const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});\nconst data = await client.query({\n  data: {\n    \"query\": `query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {\n      metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {\n        id\n        metafieldsCount\n      }\n    }`,\n    \"variables\": {\n      \"metafieldDefinitionId\": \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456166\"\n    },\n  },\n});\n"
Ruby example: "session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(\n  shop: \"your-development-store.myshopify.com\",\n  access_token: access_token\n)\nclient = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(\n  session: session\n)\n\nquery = <<~QUERY\n  query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {\n    metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {\n      id\n      metafieldsCount\n    }\n  }\nQUERY\n\nvariables = {\n  \"metafieldDefinitionId\": \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456166\"\n}\n\nresponse = client.query(query: query, variables: variables)\n" 
Remix example: "const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);\n\nconst response = await admin.graphql(\n  `#graphql\n  query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {\n    metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {\n      id\n      metafieldsCount\n    }\n  }`,\n  {\n    variables: {\n      \"metafieldDefinitionId\": \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456166\"\n    },\n  },\n);\n\nconst data = await response.json();\n"
Graphql query: "query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {\n  metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {\n    id\n    metafieldsCount\n  }\n}"
#### Graphql Input
{
  "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456166"
}
#### Graphql Response
{
  "data": {
    "metafieldDefinition": {
      "id": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456166",
      "metafieldsCount": 0
    }
  }
}

### Retrieve metafield definition
Curl example: "curl -X POST \\\nhttps://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2024-10/graphql.json \\\n-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \\\n-H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \\\n-d '{\n\"query\": \"query { metafieldDefinition(id: \\\"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456163\\\") { name } }\"\n}'\n"
Node example: "const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});\nconst data = await client.query({\n  data: `query {\n    metafieldDefinition(id: \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456163\") {\n      name\n    }\n  }`,\n});\n"
Ruby example: "session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(\n  shop: \"your-development-store.myshopify.com\",\n  access_token: access_token\n)\nclient = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(\n  session: session\n)\n\nquery = <<~QUERY\n  query {\n    metafieldDefinition(id: \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456163\") {\n      name\n    }\n  }\nQUERY\n\nresponse = client.query(query: query)\n" 
Remix example: "const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);\n\nconst response = await admin.graphql(\n  `#graphql\n  query {\n    metafieldDefinition(id: \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456163\") {\n      name\n    }\n  }`,\n);\n\nconst data = await response.json();\n"
Graphql query: "query {\n  metafieldDefinition(id: \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456163\") {\n    name\n  }\n}"
#### Graphql Input
null
#### Graphql Response
{
  "data": {
    "metafieldDefinition": {
      "name": "ingredients"
    }
  }
}