# Pseudo-hierarchical folders and directories

Although you cannot nest directories in OpenStack Object Storage, you can simulate a hierarchical structure within a single container by adding forward slash characters (`/`) in the object name. To navigate the pseudo-directory structure, you can use the `delimiter` query parameter. This example shows you how to use pseudo-hierarchical folders and directories.

Note

In this example, the objects reside in a container called `backups`. Within that container, the objects are organized in a pseudo-directory called `photos`. The container name is not displayed in the example, but it is a part of the object URLs. For instance, the URL of the picture `me.jpg` is `https://swift.example.com/v1/CF_xer7_343/backups/photos/me.jpg`.

## List pseudo-hierarchical folders request: HTTP

To display a list of all the objects in the storage container, use `GET` without a `delimiter` or `prefix`.

    $ curl -X GET -i -H "X-Auth-Token: $token" \
     $publicurl/v1/AccountString/backups

The system returns status code 2xx (between 200 and 299, inclusive) and the requested list of the objects.

    photos/animals/cats/persian.jpg
    photos/animals/cats/siamese.jpg
    photos/animals/dogs/corgi.jpg
    photos/animals/dogs/poodle.jpg
    photos/animals/dogs/terrier.jpg
    photos/me.jpg
    photos/plants/fern.jpg
    photos/plants/rose.jpg

Use the delimiter parameter to limit the displayed results. To use `delimiter` with pseudo-directories, you must use the parameter slash (`/`).

    $ curl -X GET -i -H "X-Auth-Token: $token" \
     $publicurl/v1/AccountString/backups?delimiter=/

The system returns status code 2xx (between 200 and 299, inclusive) and the requested matching objects. Because you use the slash, only the pseudo-directory `photos/` displays. The returned values from a slash `delimiter` query are not real objects. The value will refer to a real object if it does not end with a slash. The pseudo-directories have no content-type, rather, each pseudo-directory has its own `subdir` entry in the response of JSON and XML results. For example:

    [
      {
        "subdir": "photos/"
      }
    ]

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <container name="backups">
      <subdir name="photos/">
        <name>photos/</name>
      </subdir>
    </container>

Use the `prefix` and `delimiter` parameters to view the objects inside a pseudo-directory, including further nested pseudo-directories.

    $ curl -X GET -i -H "X-Auth-Token: $token" \
     $publicurl/v1/AccountString/backups?prefix=photos/&delimiter=/

The system returns status code 2xx (between 200 and 299, inclusive) and the objects and pseudo-directories within the top level pseudo-directory.

    photos/animals/
    photos/me.jpg
    photos/plants/

    [
      {
        "subdir": "photos/animals/"
      },
      {
        "hash": "b249a153f8f38b51e92916bbc6ea57ad",
        "last_modified": "2015-12-03T17:31:28.187370",
        "bytes": 2906,
        "name": "photos/me.jpg",
        "content_type": "image/jpeg"
      },
      {
        "subdir": "photos/plants/"
      }
    ]

    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <container name="backups">
      <subdir name="photos/animals/">
        <name>photos/animals/</name>
      </subdir>
      <object>
        <name>photos/me.jpg</name>
        <hash>b249a153f8f38b51e92916bbc6ea57ad</hash>
        <bytes>2906</bytes>
        <content_type>image/jpeg</content_type>
        <last_modified>2015-12-03T17:31:28.187370</last_modified>
      </object>
      <subdir name="photos/plants/">
        <name>photos/plants/</name>
      </subdir>
    </container>

You can create an unlimited number of nested pseudo-directories. To navigate through them, use a longer `prefix` parameter coupled with the `delimiter` parameter. In this sample output, there is a pseudo-directory called `dogs` within the pseudo-directory `animals`. To navigate directly to the files contained within `dogs`, enter the following command:

    $ curl -X GET -i -H "X-Auth-Token: $token" \
     $publicurl/v1/AccountString/backups?prefix=photos/animals/dogs/&delimiter=/

The system returns status code 2xx (between 200 and 299, inclusive) and the objects and pseudo-directories within the nested pseudo-directory.

    photos/animals/dogs/corgi.jpg
    photos/animals/dogs/poodle.jpg
    photos/animals/dogs/terrier.jpg

this page last updated: 2026-08-18 20:34:00

Except where otherwise noted, this document is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. See all OpenStack Legal Documents.

found an error? report a bug