---
title: metafieldDefinition - GraphQL Admin
description: Returns a metafield definition by identifier.
api_version: 2025-10
api_name: admin
type: query
api_type: graphql
source_url:
  html: https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metafieldDefinition
  md: https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/queries/metafieldDefinition.md
---

# metafield​Definition

query

Requires API client to have access to the resource type associated with the metafield definition.

Returns a metafield definition by identifier.

## Arguments

* identifier

  [Metafield​Definition​Identifier​Input](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/input-objects/MetafieldDefinitionIdentifierInput)

  The identifier of the MetafieldDefinition to return.

* id

  [ID](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/scalars/ID)

  Deprecated

***

## Possible returns

* Metafield​Definition

  [Metafield​Definition](https://shopify.dev/docs/api/admin-graphql/latest/objects/MetafieldDefinition)

  Metafield definitions enable you to define additional validation constraints for metafields, and enable the merchant to edit metafield values in context.

***

## Examples

* ### Retrieve a count of a resource's metafields.

  #### Query

  ```graphql
  query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
    metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
      id
      metafieldsCount
    }
  }
  ```

  #### Variables

  ```json
  {
    "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
  }
  ```

  #### cURL

  ```bash
  curl -X POST \
  https://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-10/graphql.json \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \
  -d '{
  "query": "query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) { metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) { id metafieldsCount } }",
   "variables": {
      "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
    }
  }'
  ```

  #### React Router

  ```javascript
  import { authenticate } from "../shopify.server";

  export const loader = async ({request}) => {
    const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);
    const response = await admin.graphql(
      `#graphql
    query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
      metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
        id
        metafieldsCount
      }
    }`,
    {
      variables: {
          "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
      },
    },
    );
    const json = await response.json();
    return json.data;
  }
  ```

  #### Ruby

  ```ruby
  session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(
    shop: "your-development-store.myshopify.com",
    access_token: access_token
  )
  client = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(
    session: session
  )

  query = <<~QUERY
    query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
      metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
        id
        metafieldsCount
      }
    }
  QUERY

  variables = {
    "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
  }

  response = client.query(query: query, variables: variables)
  ```

  #### Node.js

  ```javascript
  const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});
  const data = await client.query({
    data: {
      "query": `query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
        metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
          id
          metafieldsCount
        }
      }`,
      "variables": {
          "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
      },
    },
  });
  ```

  #### Response

  ```json
  {
    "metafieldDefinition": {
      "id": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212",
      "metafieldsCount": 0
    }
  }
  ```

* ### Retrieve a metafield definition

  #### Description

  To retrieve a single metafield definition, use the \`metafieldDefinition\` query with its ID. The following example shows how to retrieve a metafield definition.

  #### Query

  ```graphql
  query {
    metafieldDefinition(id: "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456211") {
      name
    }
  }
  ```

  #### cURL

  ```bash
  curl -X POST \
  https://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-10/graphql.json \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \
  -d '{
  "query": "query { metafieldDefinition(id: \"gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456211\") { name } }"
  }'
  ```

  #### React Router

  ```javascript
  import { authenticate } from "../shopify.server";

  export const loader = async ({request}) => {
    const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);
    const response = await admin.graphql(
      `#graphql
    query {
      metafieldDefinition(id: "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456211") {
        name
      }
    }`,
    );
    const json = await response.json();
    return json.data;
  }
  ```

  #### Ruby

  ```ruby
  session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(
    shop: "your-development-store.myshopify.com",
    access_token: access_token
  )
  client = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(
    session: session
  )

  query = <<~QUERY
    query {
      metafieldDefinition(id: "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456211") {
        name
      }
    }
  QUERY

  response = client.query(query: query)
  ```

  #### Node.js

  ```javascript
  const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});
  const data = await client.query({
    data: `query {
      metafieldDefinition(id: "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456211") {
        name
      }
    }`,
  });
  ```

  #### Response

  ```json
  {
    "metafieldDefinition": {
      "name": "ingredients"
    }
  }
  ```

[Open in GraphiQL](http://localhost:3457/graphiql?query=query%20MetafieldsCount\(%24metafieldDefinitionId%3A%20ID!\)%20%7B%0A%20%20metafieldDefinition\(id%3A%20%24metafieldDefinitionId\)%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20id%0A%20%20%20%20metafieldsCount%0A%20%20%7D%0A%7D\&variables=%7B%0A%20%20%22metafieldDefinitionId%22%3A%20%22gid%3A%2F%2Fshopify%2FMetafieldDefinition%2F1071456212%22%0A%7D)

```javascript
import { authenticate } from "../shopify.server";


export const loader = async ({request}) => {
  const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);
  const response = await admin.graphql(
    `#graphql
  query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
    metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
      id
      metafieldsCount
    }
  }`,
  {
    variables: {
        "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
    },
  },
  );
  const json = await response.json();
  return json.data;
}
```

##### GQL

```
query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
  metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
    id
    metafieldsCount
  }
}
```

##### cURL

```
curl -X POST \
https://your-development-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-10/graphql.json \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-H 'X-Shopify-Access-Token: {access_token}' \
-d '{
"query": "query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) { metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) { id metafieldsCount } }",
 "variables": {
    "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
  }
}'
```

##### React Router

```
import { authenticate } from "../shopify.server";

export const loader = async ({request}) => {
  const { admin } = await authenticate.admin(request);
  const response = await admin.graphql(
    `#graphql
  query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
    metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
      id
      metafieldsCount
    }
  }`,
  {
    variables: {
        "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
    },
  },
  );
  const json = await response.json();
  return json.data;
}
```

##### Node.js

```
const client = new shopify.clients.Graphql({session});
const data = await client.query({
  data: {
    "query": `query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
      metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
        id
        metafieldsCount
      }
    }`,
    "variables": {
        "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
    },
  },
});
```

##### Ruby

```
session = ShopifyAPI::Auth::Session.new(
  shop: "your-development-store.myshopify.com",
  access_token: access_token
)
client = ShopifyAPI::Clients::Graphql::Admin.new(
  session: session
)

query = <<~QUERY
  query MetafieldsCount($metafieldDefinitionId: ID!) {
    metafieldDefinition(id: $metafieldDefinitionId) {
      id
      metafieldsCount
    }
  }
QUERY

variables = {
  "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
}

response = client.query(query: query, variables: variables)
```

## Input variables

JSON

```json
{
  "metafieldDefinitionId": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212"
}
```

## Response

JSON

```json
{
  "metafieldDefinition": {
    "id": "gid://shopify/MetafieldDefinition/1071456212",
    "metafieldsCount": 0
  }
}
```