Box Downloads API

openapi: 3.2.0
info:
  title: Box Platform Downloads API
  description: Box Platform provides functionality to provide access to content stored within Box. It provides endpoints for basic manipulation of files and folders, management of users within an enterprise, as well as more complex topics such as legal holds and retention policies.
  termsOfService: https://cloud.app.box.com/s/rmwxu64h1ipr41u49w3bbuvbsa29wku9
  contact:
    name: Box, Inc
    url: https://developer.box.com
    email: devrel@box.com
  license:
    name: Apache-2.0
    url: https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
  version: '2024.0'
  x-box-commit-hash: 53bdced3cd
servers:
- url: https://api.box.com/2.0
  description: Box Platform API server.
security:
- OAuth2Security: []
tags:
- name: Downloads
  description: Downloads allow saving files to the application's server, or directly by the end user in a browser.
  x-box-tag: downloads
paths:
  /files/{file_id}/content:
    get:
      operationId: get_files_id_content
      summary: Download file
      description: Returns the contents of a file in binary format.
      parameters:
      - name: file_id
        in: path
        description: 'The unique identifier that represents a file.


          The ID for any file can be determined by visiting a file in the web application and copying the ID from the URL. For example, for the URL `https://*.app.box.com/files/123` the `file_id` is `123`.'
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
        example: '12345'
      - name: range
        in: header
        description: 'The byte range of the content to download.


          The format `bytes={start_byte}-{end_byte}` can be used to specify what section of the file to download.'
        required: false
        schema:
          type: string
        example: bytes=0-1024
      - name: boxapi
        in: header
        description: 'The URL, and optional password, for the shared link of this item.


          This header can be used to access items that have not been explicitly shared with a user.


          Use the format `shared_link=[link]` or if a password is required then use `shared_link=[link]&shared_link_password=[password]`.


          This header can be used on the file or folder shared, as well as on any files or folders nested within the item.'
        required: false
        schema:
          type: string
        example: shared_link=[link]&shared_link_password=[password]
      - name: version
        in: query
        description: The file version to download.
        required: false
        schema:
          type: string
        example: '4'
      - name: access_token
        in: query
        description: An optional access token that can be used to pre-authenticate this request, which means that a download link can be shared with a browser or a third party service without them needing to know how to handle the authentication. When using this parameter, please make sure that the access token is sufficiently scoped down to only allow read access to that file and no other files or folders.
        required: false
        schema:
          type: string
        example: c3FIOG9vSGV4VHo4QzAyg5T1JvNnJoZ3ExaVNyQWw6WjRsanRKZG5lQk9qUE1BVQ
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Returns the requested file if the client has the **follow redirects** setting enabled to automatically follow HTTP `3xx` responses as redirects. If not, the request will return `302` instead. For details, see the [download file guide](/guides/downloads/file#download-url).
          content:
            application/octet-stream:
              schema:
                description: The binary content of the file.
                type: string
                format: binary
        '202':
          description: 'If the file is not ready to be downloaded yet `Retry-After` header will be returned indicating the time in seconds after which the file will be available for the client to download.


            This response can occur when the file was uploaded immediately before the download request.'
          headers:
            Retry-After:
              description: The time in seconds after which to retry the download.
              schema:
                type: integer
        '302':
          description: 'If the file is available for download the response will include a `Location` header for the file on `dl.boxcloud.com`.


            The `dl.boxcloud.com` URL is not persistent and clients will need to follow the redirect to actually download the file.'
          headers:
            Location:
              description: A pointer to the download URL.
              schema:
                type: string
                format: url
        default:
          description: An unexpected client error.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/ClientError'
      x-box-tag: downloads
      tags:
      - Downloads
      x-codeSamples:
      - lang: curl
        label: Download file
        source: "curl -i -L -X GET \"https://api.box.com/2.0/files/12345/content\" \\\n     -H \"authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>\""
      - lang: dotnet
        label: Download file
        source: 'await client.Downloads.DownloadFileAsync(fileId: uploadedFile.Id);'
      - lang: swift
        label: Download file
        source: "let downloadsDirectoryURL = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first!\nlet destinationURL = downloadsDirectoryURL.appendingPathComponent(\"file.txt\")\n\nlet url = try await client.downloads.downloadFile(fileId: file.id, downloadDestinationURL: destinationURL)\n\nif let fileContent = try? String(contentsOf: url, encoding: .utf8) {\n    print(\"The content of the file: \\(fileContent)\")\n}"
      - lang: java
        label: Download file
        source: client.getDownloads().downloadFile(uploadedFile.getId())
      - lang: node
        label: Download file
        source: 'const fs = require(''fs'');


          const fileContent = await client.downloads.downloadFile(''123456789'');

          const fileWriteStream = fs.createWriteStream(''file.pdf'');

          fileContent.pipe(fileWriteStream);'
      - lang: python
        label: Download file
        source: client.downloads.download_file(uploaded_file.id)
components:
  schemas:
    ClientError:
      description: A generic error.
      type: object
      properties:
        type:
          description: The value will always be `error`.
          type: string
          example: error
          enum:
          - error
        status:
          description: The HTTP status of the response.
          type: integer
          format: int32
          example: 400
        code:
          description: A Box-specific error code.
          type: string
          example: item_name_invalid
          enum:
          - created
          - accepted
          - no_content
          - redirect
          - not_modified
          - bad_request
          - unauthorized
          - forbidden
          - not_found
          - method_not_allowed
          - conflict
          - precondition_failed
          - unprocessable_entity
          - too_many_requests
          - internal_server_error
          - unavailable
          - item_name_invalid
          - insufficient_scope
        message:
          description: A short message describing the error.
          type: string
          example: Method Not Allowed
        context_info:
          description: A free-form object that contains additional context about the error. The possible fields are defined on a per-endpoint basis. `message` is only one example.
          type:
          - object
          - 'null'
          example:
            message: Something went wrong
          additionalProperties: {}
        help_url:
          description: A URL that links to more information about why this error occurred.
          type: string
          example: https://developer.box.com/guides/api-calls/permissions-and-errors/common-errors/
        request_id:
          description: A unique identifier for this response, which can be used when contacting Box support.
          type: string
          example: abcdef123456
      title: Client error
      x-box-resource-id: client_error
  securitySchemes:
    OAuth2Security:
      type: oauth2
      description: The access token received from the authorization server in the OAuth 2.0 flow.
      flows:
        authorizationCode:
          authorizationUrl: https://account.box.com/api/oauth2/authorize
          tokenUrl: https://api.box.com/oauth2/token
          scopes:
            root_readonly: Read all files and folders stored in Box
            root_readwrite: Read and write all files and folders stored in Box
            manage_app_users: Provision and manage app users
            manage_managed_users: Provision and manage managed users
            manage_groups: Manage an enterprise's groups
            manage_webhook: Create webhooks programmatically through the API
            manage_enterprise_properties: Manage enterprise properties
            manage_data_retention: Manage data retention polices
            manage_legal_hold: Manage Legal Holds
externalDocs:
  description: Box Developer Documentation.
  url: https://developer.box.com
x-mint:
  mcp:
    enabled: true
x-provenance:
  method: harvested
  publisher: Box
  source: https://developer.box.com/box-openapi.json
  note: split by refine-openapis from the provider's own published document, verified by fetch (openapi/_original/*.fetch.json);
    stamped by stamp-openapi-provenance.py (roadmap#793)