---
title: "Read File"
description: "If a ReadSingleFileRequest is passed, reads that file from the project. If a ReadAllFilesRequest is passed, reads all files in the project."
canonical: https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/api-reference/file-management/read-file
markdown: https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/api-reference/file-management/read-file.md
language: python
source: https://github.com/QuantConnect/Documentation/tree/master/01%20Cloud%20Platform/99%20API%20Reference/03%20File%20Management/02%20Read%20File
modified: 2026-10-29
index: https://www.quantconnect.com/llms.txt
---

# Read File

[Documentation](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2.md) > [Cloud Platform](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform.md) > [API Reference](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/api-reference.md) > [File Management](https://www.quantconnect.com/docs/v2/cloud-platform/api-reference/file-management.md) > Read File

> Code examples are shown in Python. Append `?lang=csharp` to this URL for the C# version of this page.

## Introduction

If a ReadSingleFileRequest is passed, reads that file from the project. If a ReadAllFilesRequest is passed, reads all files in the project.

## Request

An array list of files from the project requested. The `/files/read` API accepts requests in the following format:

| `ReadFilesRequest` Model - Request to read all files from a project or just one (if the name is provided). |  |
| --- | --- |
| projectId | `integer required example: 23456789` Id of the project that contains the file. |
| name | `string example: file.py` The name of the file to read. |
| codeSourceId | `string example: MCP Server` Name of the environment that's creating the request. |
| Example | `{ "projectId": 23456789, "name": "file.py", "codeSourceId": "MCP Server" }` |

## Responses

The `/files/read` API provides a response in the following format:

### 200 Success

| `ProjectFilesResponse` Model - Response received when creating or reading project files. |  |
| --- | --- |
| files | `ProjectFile Array` List of project file information. |
| success | `boolean` Indicate if the API request was successful. |
| errors | `string Array` List of errors with the API call. |
| Example | `{ "files": [ { "id": 0, "projectId": 23456789, "name": "string", "content": "string", "modified": "2021-11-26T15:18:27.693Z", "open": true, "isLibrary": true } ], "success": true, "errors": [ "string" ] }` |

| `ProjectFile` Model - File for a project. |  |
| --- | --- |
| id | `integer` ID of the project file. This can also be null. |
| projectId | `integer example: 23456789` ID of the project. |
| name | `string` Name of a project file. |
| content | `string` Contents of the project file. |
| modified | `string($date-time)` DateTime project file was modified. |
| open | `boolean` Indicates if the project file is open or not. |
| isLibrary | `boolean` Indicates if the project file is a library or not. It's always false in live/read and backtest/read. |
| Example | `{ "id": 0, "projectId": 23456789, "name": "string", "content": "string", "modified": "2021-11-26T15:18:27.693Z", "open": true, "isLibrary": true }` |

### 401 Authentication Error

| `UnauthorizedError` Model - Unauthorized response from the API. Key is missing, invalid, or timestamp is too old for hash. |  |
| --- | --- |
| www_authenticate | `string` Header |

## Examples

The following example demonstates creating, reading, updating, and deleting a file through the cloud API.

```
from base64 import b64encode
from hashlib import sha256
from time import time
from requests import get, post
BASE_URL = 'https://www.quantconnect.com/api/v2/'

# You need to replace these with your actual credentials.
# You can request your credentials at https://www.quantconnect.com/settings/
# You can find our organization ID at https://www.quantconnect.com/organization/
USER_ID = 0
API_TOKEN = '____'
ORGANIZATION_ID = '____'

def get_headers():
    # Get timestamp
    timestamp = f'{int(time())}'
    time_stamped_token = f'{API_TOKEN}:{timestamp}'.encode('utf-8')

    # Get hased API token
    hashed_token = sha256(time_stamped_token).hexdigest()
    authentication = f'{USER_ID}:{hashed_token}'.encode('utf-8')
    authentication = b64encode(authentication).decode('ascii')

    # Create headers dictionary.
    return {
        'Authorization': f'Basic {authentication}',
        'Timestamp': timestamp
    }

# Authenticate to verify credentials
response = post(f'{BASE_URL}/authenticate', headers = get_headers())
print(response.json())

# --------------------

# The project ID of the project to manage its files
project_id = 12345678

### Create File
# Send a POST request to the /files/create endpoint to create a new file
response = post(f'{BASE_URL}/files/create', headers=get_headers(), json={
    "projectId": project_id,  # ID of the project
    "name": "utils.py",  # Name of the new file
    "content": '''
# region imports
from AlgorithmImports import *
# endregion

class Project(QCAlgorithm):

    def Initialize(self):
        self.AddEquity("SPY", Resolution.Minute)
'''  # Content of the file (Python code)
})
# Parse the JSON response into python managable dict
result = response.json()
# Check if the request was successful and print the result
if result['success']:
    print("File Created Successfully:")
    print(result)

### Read File
# Prepare data payload to read files in the project
payload = {
    "projectId": project_id,  # ID of the project
    "includeLibraries": True  # Include library files in the response
}
# Send a POST request to the /files/read endpoint to read files
response = post(f'{BASE_URL}/files/read', headers=get_headers(), json=payload)
# Parse the JSON response into python managable dict
result = response.json()
# Extract filename and content from the first file in the response
fileName = result['files'][0]['name']
content = result['files'][0]['content']
# Check if the request was successful and print the content
if result['success']:
    print("File Content:")
    print(content)

### Update File Contents
# Modify the content by replacing "SPY" with "TSLA"
content = content.replace("SPY", "TSLA")
# Send a POST request to the /files/update endpoint to update the file content
response = post(f'{BASE_URL}/files/update', headers=get_headers(), json={
    "projectId": project_id,  # ID of the project
    "name": "utils.py",  # Name of the file to update
    "content": content  # Updated content
})
# Parse the JSON response into python managable dict
result = response.json()
# Check if the request was successful and print the result
if result['success']:
    print("File Updated Successfully:")
    print(result)

### Rename File
# Send a POST request to the /files/update endpoint to rename the file
response = post(f'{BASE_URL}/files/update', headers=get_headers(), json={
    "projectId": project_id,  # ID of the project
    "name": "utils.py",  # Current name of the file
    "newName": "utils2.py"  # New name for the file
})
# Parse the JSON response into python managable dict
result = response.json()
# Check if the request was successful and print the result
if result['success']:
    print("File Renamed Successfully:")
    print(result)

### Delete File
# Prepare data payload to delete the file
payload = {
    "projectId": project_id,  # ID of the project
    "name": "utils2.py"  # Name of the file to delete
}
# Send a POST request to the /files/delete endpoint to delete the file
response = post(f'{BASE_URL}/files/delete', headers=get_headers(), json=payload)
# Parse the JSON response into python managable dict
result = response.json()
# Check if the request was successful and print the result
if result['success']:
    print("File Deleted Successfully:")
    print(result)
```