> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.x.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# API Consistency

> Learn the consistent URL, response, and ID patterns used across all X API v2 endpoints so the same conventions apply everywhere you integrate.

X API v2 is designed with consistent patterns across all endpoints. Once you learn how one endpoint works, the same patterns apply everywhere.

***

## Consistent patterns

### URL structure

All v2 endpoints follow a predictable pattern:

```
/version/resource/{id}?parameters
/version/resource/verb?parameters
```

Examples:

```
/2/tweets/1234567890                    # Get a specific post
/2/tweets/search/recent                 # Search recent posts
/2/users/by/username/xdevelopers        # Get user by username
/2/users/1234/followers                 # Get user's followers
```

### Response structure

All responses use the same top-level structure:

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": { ... },       // Primary object(s)
  "includes": { ... },   // Expanded objects
  "meta": { ... },       // Pagination, counts
  "errors": [ ... ]      // Partial errors (if any)
}
```

### ID format

All IDs are returned as strings to ensure language compatibility:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "1234567890123456789",
  "author_id": "2244994945"
}
```

***

## Fields and expansions

The same [fields](/x-api/fundamentals/fields) and [expansions](/x-api/fundamentals/expansions) parameters work consistently:

| Object | Fields parameter | Works across                        |
| :----- | :--------------- | :---------------------------------- |
| Post   | `tweet.fields`   | All endpoints returning posts       |
| User   | `user.fields`    | All endpoints returning users       |
| Media  | `media.fields`   | All endpoints with media expansions |
| Poll   | `poll.fields`    | All endpoints with poll expansions  |
| Place  | `place.fields`   | All endpoints with place expansions |

***

## Object schemas

The same object type has the same fields regardless of which endpoint returns it:

* A Post from search has the same fields as a Post from lookup
* A User from followers has the same fields as a User from search
* Expanded objects match their standalone counterparts

***

## Authentication

All endpoints use the same authentication methods:

| Method       | Header format                        |
| :----------- | :----------------------------------- |
| Bearer Token | `Authorization: Bearer {token}`      |
| OAuth 1.0a   | `Authorization: OAuth {parameters}`  |
| OAuth 2.0    | `Authorization: Bearer {user_token}` |

***

## Error handling

Errors follow a consistent format:

```json theme={null}
{
  "title": "Invalid Request",
  "detail": "The query parameter is missing",
  "type": "https://api.x.com/2/problems/invalid-request"
}
```

[See all error types →](/x-api/fundamentals/response-codes-and-errors)

***

## Pagination

All paginated endpoints use the same token system:

| Parameter          | Description                                 |
| :----------------- | :------------------------------------------ |
| `max_results`      | Results per page                            |
| `pagination_token` | Token from `next_token` or `previous_token` |

[Learn more about pagination →](/x-api/fundamentals/pagination)

***

## Naming conventions

* American English spelling (`favorites` not `favourites`)
* Snake\_case for field names (`author_id`, `created_at`)
* Consistent terminology (`retweet_count`, not `repost_count` in fields)

***

## Empty values

Fields with no value are omitted rather than returned as `null`:

```json theme={null}
// User without a bio
{
  "id": "1234",
  "name": "Example User",
  "username": "example"
  // "description" is omitted, not null
}
```

***

## Entity consistency

The `entities` object only contains entities parsed from text:

* `urls`
* `hashtags`
* `mentions`
* `cashtags`

Media and polls are in `attachments`, not `entities`.

***

## What this means for you

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Learn once, use everywhere" icon="graduation-cap">
    Patterns you learn on one endpoint apply to all endpoints.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Predictable responses" icon="square-check">
    Same object types have same structures across the API.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Simpler code" icon="code">
    Build reusable functions for common patterns.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Easier debugging" icon="bug">
    Consistent error formats simplify troubleshooting.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Report inconsistencies

Found an inconsistency? Let us know:

* [Developer Forum](https://devcommunity.x.com)
* [Developer Feedback](https://t.co/devfeedback)