Retrieve a subscriber

Add MCP server to your AI tool

Allow AI tools and LLMs to interact with the API documentation portal through MCP.

MCP server URL

https://api-reference.usecommune.dev/mcp

Standard setup for AI tools providing an mcp.json file

mcp.json
{
  "REST API MCP server": {
    "url": "https://api-reference.usecommune.dev/mcp"
  }
}

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GET /subscribers/{subscriber}

Read one subscriber by id. Creator scope, and only within a newsletter the key is bound to: the same person subscribing to two newsletters is two subscribers, and one creator never sees the other's row.

Headers

  • Commune-Version string(date)

    The contract version this request is written against, as a release date (YYYY-MM-DD). Omitting the header pins the request to the version that was current when the API key was issued, so an integration keeps working when a newer version ships. An unknown value answers 400 with invalid_version.

Path parameters

  • subscriber string(uuid) Required

    The subscriber's id. This identifies one person's membership of one newsletter, not the person, and a subscriber has no short id.

Query parameters

  • expand string

    Comma separated list of relationship paths to inline in the response. Unexpanded relationships are returned as a reference object carrying only id and object. Each operation documents the paths it accepts, and an unknown path answers 400. Nested paths use a dot, for example article.newsletter.

    One accepted path is not a relationship. ?expand=content on GET /articles/{article} adds the Markdown rendition of the body beside the HTML one. It is the same trade the parameter always offers, a fuller response for a larger one, over a property that has more than one representation rather than over a reference.

  • fields string

    Comma separated allow list of top level properties to return on each object, so a client can trim a response it does not need in full. id and object are always returned. An unknown property name answers 400. Properties omitted by an operation, such as content on any article list, cannot be brought back with fields.

    A trimmed body is a subset of the schema this operation declares, and a property that schema marks required is absent when it was not asked for. That is the point of the parameter, so a client that validates responses against the schema either sends no fields or relaxes required.

Responses

  • 200 application/json

    The subscriber.

    Hide response attributes Show response attributes object
    • object string Required

      Always subscriber.

      Value is subscriber.

    • id string(uuid) Required

      Stable identifier for this membership.

    • newsletter object | null Required

      The newsletter subscribed to. A Ref unless newsletter is named in ?expand=.

      One of:
    • user object | null

      The Commune account behind the subscription, or null for someone who joined by email without one. A Ref unless user is named in ?expand=.

      Any of:
    • email string(email) Required

      Where the newsletter reaches this person. Returned on every subscriber row, including one that has a Commune account behind it, because reconciling a list against the provider that holds it is the job this collection exists for and the people who joined through Commune are exactly the ones that provider has never heard of.

      For a row with no account the address is the one the person subscribed with. For a row with an account it is the address on that account, which is where the issue is actually delivered. Never null: a subscription is either an address or an account, and an account always carries one.

      This is the one place in the API an address appears. It is a property of the subscription and not of the person, so it is never on a public profile, never on an expanded author, and never reachable from a key bound to another newsletter. Reading it needs creator scope, counts against a tighter rate limit budget than everything else, and writes a row to Commune's audit log naming the key and how many subscribers it read.

    • status string Required

      Where a subscription stands. Source of truth for a newsletter Commune sends natively. For a newsletter connected to an outside provider it reflects what Commune last saw of the provider's state.

      Values are subscribed, unsubscribed, bounced, complained, or pending.

    • source string

      commune when the person subscribed through Commune, imported when they came from the newsletter's provider or a file.

      Values are commune or imported.

    • tags array[object]

      The audience tags this subscriber holds, which is what decides which tag scoped issues reach them. Each entry is a Ref unless tags is named in ?expand=.

      One of:
    • created_at string(date-time) Required

      When Commune first recorded the subscription.

    • synced_at string(date-time) | null

      When this row was last reconciled with the newsletter's provider. Null for a native newsletter, which has no provider to reconcile with.

  • 400 application/json

    The request was malformed: an unknown query parameter, an unparseable cursor, an unknown expand path, or an unrecognised Commune-Version.

    Hide response attribute Show response attribute object
    • error object Required

      Additional properties are NOT allowed.

      Hide error attributes Show error attributes object
      • code string Required

        The stable, machine readable reason a request failed. New codes may be added in a minor version, so treat an unrecognised code as a generic failure of its HTTP status class.

        Values are bad_request, invalid_version, unauthorized, forbidden, insufficient_scope, payment_required, not_found, conflict, unprocessable, rate_limited, or internal_error.

      • message string Required

        A human readable sentence describing what went wrong. Written for a developer reading a log, not for an end user. Do not branch on it, branch on code.

      • param string

        The query, path or body parameter the error is attributed to, when the error is attributable to exactly one. Absent otherwise.

      • allowed_values array[string]

        Everything param would have accepted, when what it accepts is a finite set. Absent when it is not: a cursor, an identifier or a numeric range has nothing to enumerate, and an empty array would read as "nothing is allowed".

        It is deliberately redundant with message, which names the same values in prose. The array is what a program branches on and the sentence is what a model reads, and a caller correcting a request has to be able to do it from this one response without opening a reference page.

        On an unknown parameter name rather than an unknown value, this carries the parameter names the operation does accept, since that is the set the caller has to pick from.

        On an insufficient_scope failure there is no parameter at fault and param is absent, and this carries the scopes that would have been accepted instead.

      • request_id string

        Identifier for this request, echoed in the Commune-Request-Id response header. Quote it in support requests.

      • docs_url string(uri)

        Link to the reference page for this error code.

  • 401 application/json

    No API key was presented, or the key is unknown, revoked or expired.

    All four answer identically, down to the wording. Saying that a key was revoked rather than never issued confirms to whoever is holding the string that it was once real, which a legitimate caller does not need and a thief should not get.

    Hide headers attribute Show headers attribute
    • WWW-Authenticate string

      The authentication scheme this API accepts. Always Bearer realm="Commune API"; there is no second scheme and no query-parameter fallback, because a credential that can travel in a URL ends up in access logs and referer headers.

    Hide response attribute Show response attribute object
    • error object Required

      Additional properties are NOT allowed.

      Hide error attributes Show error attributes object
      • code string Required

        The stable, machine readable reason a request failed. New codes may be added in a minor version, so treat an unrecognised code as a generic failure of its HTTP status class.

        Values are bad_request, invalid_version, unauthorized, forbidden, insufficient_scope, payment_required, not_found, conflict, unprocessable, rate_limited, or internal_error.

      • message string Required

        A human readable sentence describing what went wrong. Written for a developer reading a log, not for an end user. Do not branch on it, branch on code.

      • param string

        The query, path or body parameter the error is attributed to, when the error is attributable to exactly one. Absent otherwise.

      • allowed_values array[string]

        Everything param would have accepted, when what it accepts is a finite set. Absent when it is not: a cursor, an identifier or a numeric range has nothing to enumerate, and an empty array would read as "nothing is allowed".

        It is deliberately redundant with message, which names the same values in prose. The array is what a program branches on and the sentence is what a model reads, and a caller correcting a request has to be able to do it from this one response without opening a reference page.

        On an unknown parameter name rather than an unknown value, this carries the parameter names the operation does accept, since that is the set the caller has to pick from.

        On an insufficient_scope failure there is no parameter at fault and param is absent, and this carries the scopes that would have been accepted instead.

      • request_id string

        Identifier for this request, echoed in the Commune-Request-Id response header. Quote it in support requests.

      • docs_url string(uri)

        Link to the reference page for this error code.

  • 403 application/json

    The key is valid but is not allowed to read this. Either it carries public scope and the operation needs creator scope, or it is bound to a different newsletter than the one addressed.

    Hide response attribute Show response attribute object
    • error object Required

      Additional properties are NOT allowed.

      Hide error attributes Show error attributes object
      • code string Required

        The stable, machine readable reason a request failed. New codes may be added in a minor version, so treat an unrecognised code as a generic failure of its HTTP status class.

        Values are bad_request, invalid_version, unauthorized, forbidden, insufficient_scope, payment_required, not_found, conflict, unprocessable, rate_limited, or internal_error.

      • message string Required

        A human readable sentence describing what went wrong. Written for a developer reading a log, not for an end user. Do not branch on it, branch on code.

      • param string

        The query, path or body parameter the error is attributed to, when the error is attributable to exactly one. Absent otherwise.

      • allowed_values array[string]

        Everything param would have accepted, when what it accepts is a finite set. Absent when it is not: a cursor, an identifier or a numeric range has nothing to enumerate, and an empty array would read as "nothing is allowed".

        It is deliberately redundant with message, which names the same values in prose. The array is what a program branches on and the sentence is what a model reads, and a caller correcting a request has to be able to do it from this one response without opening a reference page.

        On an unknown parameter name rather than an unknown value, this carries the parameter names the operation does accept, since that is the set the caller has to pick from.

        On an insufficient_scope failure there is no parameter at fault and param is absent, and this carries the scopes that would have been accepted instead.

      • request_id string

        Identifier for this request, echoed in the Commune-Request-Id response header. Quote it in support requests.

      • docs_url string(uri)

        Link to the reference page for this error code.

  • 404 application/json

    No such resource, or the key is not allowed to know that it exists. Commune answers 404 rather than 403 where distinguishing the two would leak the existence of private content.

    Hide response attribute Show response attribute object
    • error object Required

      Additional properties are NOT allowed.

      Hide error attributes Show error attributes object
      • code string Required

        The stable, machine readable reason a request failed. New codes may be added in a minor version, so treat an unrecognised code as a generic failure of its HTTP status class.

        Values are bad_request, invalid_version, unauthorized, forbidden, insufficient_scope, payment_required, not_found, conflict, unprocessable, rate_limited, or internal_error.

      • message string Required

        A human readable sentence describing what went wrong. Written for a developer reading a log, not for an end user. Do not branch on it, branch on code.

      • param string

        The query, path or body parameter the error is attributed to, when the error is attributable to exactly one. Absent otherwise.

      • allowed_values array[string]

        Everything param would have accepted, when what it accepts is a finite set. Absent when it is not: a cursor, an identifier or a numeric range has nothing to enumerate, and an empty array would read as "nothing is allowed".

        It is deliberately redundant with message, which names the same values in prose. The array is what a program branches on and the sentence is what a model reads, and a caller correcting a request has to be able to do it from this one response without opening a reference page.

        On an unknown parameter name rather than an unknown value, this carries the parameter names the operation does accept, since that is the set the caller has to pick from.

        On an insufficient_scope failure there is no parameter at fault and param is absent, and this carries the scopes that would have been accepted instead.

      • request_id string

        Identifier for this request, echoed in the Commune-Request-Id response header. Quote it in support requests.

      • docs_url string(uri)

        Link to the reference page for this error code.

  • 429 application/json

    Too many requests. Back off and retry after the interval named by the Retry-After response header.

    Hide headers attribute Show headers attribute
    • Retry-After integer

      Seconds to wait before retrying.

      Minimum value is 1.

    Hide response attribute Show response attribute object
    • error object Required

      Additional properties are NOT allowed.

      Hide error attributes Show error attributes object
      • code string Required

        The stable, machine readable reason a request failed. New codes may be added in a minor version, so treat an unrecognised code as a generic failure of its HTTP status class.

        Values are bad_request, invalid_version, unauthorized, forbidden, insufficient_scope, payment_required, not_found, conflict, unprocessable, rate_limited, or internal_error.

      • message string Required

        A human readable sentence describing what went wrong. Written for a developer reading a log, not for an end user. Do not branch on it, branch on code.

      • param string

        The query, path or body parameter the error is attributed to, when the error is attributable to exactly one. Absent otherwise.

      • allowed_values array[string]

        Everything param would have accepted, when what it accepts is a finite set. Absent when it is not: a cursor, an identifier or a numeric range has nothing to enumerate, and an empty array would read as "nothing is allowed".

        It is deliberately redundant with message, which names the same values in prose. The array is what a program branches on and the sentence is what a model reads, and a caller correcting a request has to be able to do it from this one response without opening a reference page.

        On an unknown parameter name rather than an unknown value, this carries the parameter names the operation does accept, since that is the set the caller has to pick from.

        On an insufficient_scope failure there is no parameter at fault and param is absent, and this carries the scopes that would have been accepted instead.

      • request_id string

        Identifier for this request, echoed in the Commune-Request-Id response header. Quote it in support requests.

      • docs_url string(uri)

        Link to the reference page for this error code.

  • 500 application/json

    Something failed inside Commune. The request may be retried.

    Hide response attribute Show response attribute object
    • error object Required

      Additional properties are NOT allowed.

      Hide error attributes Show error attributes object
      • code string Required

        The stable, machine readable reason a request failed. New codes may be added in a minor version, so treat an unrecognised code as a generic failure of its HTTP status class.

        Values are bad_request, invalid_version, unauthorized, forbidden, insufficient_scope, payment_required, not_found, conflict, unprocessable, rate_limited, or internal_error.

      • message string Required

        A human readable sentence describing what went wrong. Written for a developer reading a log, not for an end user. Do not branch on it, branch on code.

      • param string

        The query, path or body parameter the error is attributed to, when the error is attributable to exactly one. Absent otherwise.

      • allowed_values array[string]

        Everything param would have accepted, when what it accepts is a finite set. Absent when it is not: a cursor, an identifier or a numeric range has nothing to enumerate, and an empty array would read as "nothing is allowed".

        It is deliberately redundant with message, which names the same values in prose. The array is what a program branches on and the sentence is what a model reads, and a caller correcting a request has to be able to do it from this one response without opening a reference page.

        On an unknown parameter name rather than an unknown value, this carries the parameter names the operation does accept, since that is the set the caller has to pick from.

        On an insufficient_scope failure there is no parameter at fault and param is absent, and this carries the scopes that would have been accepted instead.

      • request_id string

        Identifier for this request, echoed in the Commune-Request-Id response header. Quote it in support requests.

      • docs_url string(uri)

        Link to the reference page for this error code.

GET /subscribers/{subscriber}
curl https://api.usecommune.com/subscribers/b81f3d27-6e40-4a95-8c13-5d7e2f0a9b64 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $COMMUNE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Commune-Version: 2026-08-26"
curl \
 --request GET 'https://api.usecommune.com/subscribers/{subscriber}' \
 --header "Authorization: Bearer $ACCESS_TOKEN" \
 --header "Commune-Version: 2026-08-26"
Response examples (200)
{
  "object": "subscriber",
  "id": "string",
  "newsletter": {
    "object": "newsletter",
    "id": "9a4c1c6e-0f2b-4f47-9d3f-6d1b1a2c3d4e"
  },
  "user": {
    "object": "newsletter",
    "id": "9a4c1c6e-0f2b-4f47-9d3f-6d1b1a2c3d4e"
  },
  "email": "hello@example.com",
  "status": "subscribed",
  "source": "commune",
  "tags": [
    {
      "object": "newsletter",
      "id": "9a4c1c6e-0f2b-4f47-9d3f-6d1b1a2c3d4e"
    }
  ],
  "created_at": "2026-05-04T09:42:00Z",
  "synced_at": "2026-05-04T09:42:00Z"
}
Response examples (400)
{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "message": "Newsletter not found.",
    "param": "cursor",
    "allowed_values": [
      "subscribed",
      "unsubscribed",
      "bounced",
      "complained",
      "pending"
    ],
    "request_id": "req_01j9c8h1q7m3n4p5r6s7t8u9v0",
    "docs_url": "https://usecommune.com/docs/api/errors#not_found"
  }
}
Response examples (401)
# Headers
WWW-Authenticate: string

# Payload
{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "message": "Newsletter not found.",
    "param": "cursor",
    "allowed_values": [
      "subscribed",
      "unsubscribed",
      "bounced",
      "complained",
      "pending"
    ],
    "request_id": "req_01j9c8h1q7m3n4p5r6s7t8u9v0",
    "docs_url": "https://usecommune.com/docs/api/errors#not_found"
  }
}
Response examples (403)
{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "message": "Newsletter not found.",
    "param": "cursor",
    "allowed_values": [
      "subscribed",
      "unsubscribed",
      "bounced",
      "complained",
      "pending"
    ],
    "request_id": "req_01j9c8h1q7m3n4p5r6s7t8u9v0",
    "docs_url": "https://usecommune.com/docs/api/errors#not_found"
  }
}
Response examples (404)
{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "message": "Newsletter not found.",
    "param": "cursor",
    "allowed_values": [
      "subscribed",
      "unsubscribed",
      "bounced",
      "complained",
      "pending"
    ],
    "request_id": "req_01j9c8h1q7m3n4p5r6s7t8u9v0",
    "docs_url": "https://usecommune.com/docs/api/errors#not_found"
  }
}
Response examples (429)
# Headers
Retry-After: 42

# Payload
{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "message": "Newsletter not found.",
    "param": "cursor",
    "allowed_values": [
      "subscribed",
      "unsubscribed",
      "bounced",
      "complained",
      "pending"
    ],
    "request_id": "req_01j9c8h1q7m3n4p5r6s7t8u9v0",
    "docs_url": "https://usecommune.com/docs/api/errors#not_found"
  }
}
Response examples (500)
{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "message": "Newsletter not found.",
    "param": "cursor",
    "allowed_values": [
      "subscribed",
      "unsubscribed",
      "bounced",
      "complained",
      "pending"
    ],
    "request_id": "req_01j9c8h1q7m3n4p5r6s7t8u9v0",
    "docs_url": "https://usecommune.com/docs/api/errors#not_found"
  }
}