# Response Structure
URL: /introduction/essentials/response-structure

Understanding API response format, metadata, and headers

***

title: "Response Structure"
description: "Understanding API response format, metadata, and headers"
icon: CodeXml
-------------

## Response Format

Every API response follows a consistent structure with two main components:

1. The `data` field containing OnlyFans information
2. Optional `_pagination` field with pagination information, if the endpoint is paginated
3. The `_meta` object containing request metadata

Here's an example response:

### Response Body Structure

```json
{
  "data": {
    // OnlyFans response data
    "view": "f",
    "avatar": "https://...",
    "isFriend": false,
    "isBlocked": false,
    "canReport": false
  },
  "_meta": {
    "_credits": {
      "used": 0,
      "balance": 9852,
      "note": "Cache HIT. No credits debited"
    },
    "_cache": {
      "is_cached": true,
      "cached_at": "2025-01-29T16:30:43+00:00",
      "note": "Add ?fresh=true to the request URL to skip the cache and get a fresh response from OnlyFans"
    },
    "_rate_limits": {
      "limit_minute": 60,
      "limit_day": 1000,
      "remaining_minute": 59,
      "remaining_day": 988
    }
  }
}
```

### The `data` Field

The `data` field always contains the actual OnlyFans response data. Its structure varies depending on the endpoint being called. For example:

* Profile information for `/profiles/{username}`
* Message data for `/messages` endpoints
* Subscriber data for `/subscribers` endpoints

### The optional `_pagination` field

Some endpoints return paginated data. For example, `/chats`, `/chats/XYZ/messages` or `/tracking-links`.

In this case, the response will include a `_pagination` field with the `next_page` field that you can use to fetch the next page of results.

If there are no more pages, the `next_page` field will be `null`.

```json
{
  "data": {
    // OnlyFans response data
  },
  "_meta": {
    "_pagination": {
      "next_page": "https://app.onlyfansapi.com/api/acct_XXXXXXXXXXX/chats/?offset=10&limit=10"
    }
  }
}
```

### The `_meta` Object

The `_meta` object contains three sections of metadata about your request:

1. **`_credits`**: Credit usage information

   * `used`: Credits consumed by this request
   * `balance`: Your remaining credit balance
   * `note`: Additional information about credit usage

2. **`_cache`**: Caching status and information

   * `is_cached`: Whether this response was served from cache
   * `cached_at`: When the response was cached
   * `note`: Instructions for bypassing cache if needed

3. **`_rate_limits`**: Rate limiting information
   * `limit_minute`: Requests allowed per minute
   * `limit_day`: Requests allowed per day
   * `remaining_minute`: Remaining requests this minute
   * `remaining_day`: Remaining requests today

## Response Headers

Each response includes comprehensive metadata in the headers:

| Header                          | Value              | Category           | Description                   |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------ | ----------------------------- |
| `content-type`                  | `application/json` | Content Headers    | Always `application/json`     |
| `x-ofapi-credits-balance`       | `9852`             | Credit Headers     | Your remaining credit balance |
| `x-ofapi-credits-used`          | `0`                | Credit Headers     | Credits used by this request  |
| `x-ofapi-is-cached`             | `true`             | Credit Headers     | Whether response was cached   |
| `x-rate-limit-limit-day`        | `1000`             | Rate Limit Headers | Daily limit                   |
| `x-rate-limit-limit-minute`     | `60`               | Rate Limit Headers | Per-minute limit              |
| `x-rate-limit-remaining-day`    | `988`              | Rate Limit Headers | Remaining daily requests      |
| `x-rate-limit-remaining-minute` | `59`               | Rate Limit Headers | Remaining minute requests     |

## Cache Control

You can control caching behavior using query parameters:

* By default, responses are cached when possible (only for public endpoints)
* Add `?fresh=true` to force a fresh response from OnlyFans
* Cached responses don't consume credits
* Cache duration varies by endpoint

<Callout>
  The same information is available in both headers and the `_meta` object. Use
  headers for quick access in code, and the `_meta` object for more detailed
  information including notes and timestamps.
</Callout>