# (NEW!) Get Metadata Cascade

Retrieve a single metadata cascade by its ID. This is the one place in the cascades API where everything is always returned unconditionally — no include option, no summary/lightweight mode.

The user submitting the request must have the Metadata Template Management admin privilege.

Endpoint: GET /metadata/cascades/{id}
Version: 1.5
Security: ApiKeyAuth, BasicAuth

## Header parameters:

  - `Authorization` (string, required)
    Provided by Authentication Token creation operation.

## Path parameters:

  - `id` (string, required)
    The unique ID of the cascade to retrieve.
    Example: "b7e41f2a-6c9d-4a17-8f3b-2d5c8a0e3f61"

## Response 200 fields (application/json):

  - `id` (string)
    Unique ID of the cascade.
    Example: "b7e41f2a-6c9d-4a17-8f3b-2d5c8a0e3f61"

  - `name` (string)
    Display name of the cascade.
    Example: "Region Cascade"

  - `searchField` (string)
    System-generated slug. Permanent once created.
    Example: "region_cascade"

  - `levels` (array)
    Ordered levels, fixed at creation. Always present here — unconditional, unlike the list endpoint where it's only included via ?include=levels.

  - `levels.attributeId` (string)
    Id of the controlled-vocabulary attribute backing this level's dropdown values.
    Example: "a29f3e1c-7b4d-4f8a-9c2e-5d1b8f6a3c70"

  - `levels.attributeName` (string)
    Denormalized display name of the backing attribute.
    Example: "Continent"

  - `levels.order` (integer)
    Zero-based level position; kept as an explicit field rather than implied by array order, since asset metadata can store level references out of order.

  - `nameVisible` (boolean)
    Whether the cascade name is visible when rendered on an asset.
    Example: true

  - `featured` (boolean,null)
    System-assigned. null if never set. Blocks deletion when true.

  - `createdBy` (string)
    User-profile id of the cascade's creator.
    Example: "8f2a5c91-4e6d-4b83-9a17-6c0d3e8b2f45"

  - `createdEpoch` (integer)
    Unix timestamp (ms) of creation.
    Example: 1770714900000

  - `createdDate` (string)
    ISO 8601 creation date.
    Example: "2026-02-10T09:15:00Z"

  - `lastUpdatedBy` (string)
    User-profile id of the last user to update the cascade.
    Example: "8f2a5c91-4e6d-4b83-9a17-6c0d3e8b2f45"

  - `lastUpdatedEpoch` (integer)
    Unix timestamp (ms) of the last update.
    Example: 1771432800000

  - `lastUpdatedDate` (string)
    ISO 8601 last-updated date.
    Example: "2026-02-18T16:40:00Z"

  - `usedIn` (object)
    Where the cascade is currently referenced. A cascade's only direct relationship is being used as a column inside a Table. metadataGroups is a derived, transitive rollup of every group reached through that table's own group membership (Table → group). metadataTemplates is a further derived, transitive rollup of every template reached through that group's own template membership (group → template).

  - `usedIn.metadataTables` (array)
    Tables that directly use this cascade as a column.

  - `usedIn.metadataTables.id` (string)
    Example: "e91a4c7d-3f8b-4e26-9a1d-7c5b0e9f2a83"

  - `usedIn.metadataTables.name` (string)
    Example: "Store Locations Table"

  - `usedIn.metadataGroups` (array)
    Groups that transitively reach this cascade through a table that uses it.

  - `usedIn.metadataTemplates` (array)
    Templates that transitively reach this cascade through a table that uses it.

  - `values` (array)
    Full nested value tree, returned untruncated — always present here (unconditional, same as levels; the list endpoint only includes it via ?include=values). Depth is bounded at 4 levels, but breadth is not — a level with hundreds of sibling values can still make this a large payload.

  - `values.id` (string)
    Value node id.
    Example: "f3a8c1e5-9d24-4b7a-8e6f-1c3a9d5e2b74"

  - `values.name` (string)
    Display value.
    Example: "North America"

  - `values.source` (string,null)
    Present only when this level's attribute is a Dynamic Controlled Vocabulary (a CV composed from other CVs) — holds the search field of the underlying source CV this value was copied from. null for a value sourced from an ordinary controlled vocabulary. System-computed only; never client-supplied.

  - `values.children` (array)
    Nested child values at the next level. Empty array for a leaf node.

## Response 400 fields (application/json):

  - `status` (string)
    Example: "error"

  - `message` (string)

## Response 401 fields (application/json):

  - `status` (string)
    Example: "error"

  - `message` (string)

## Response 403 fields (application/json):

  - `status` (string)
    Example: "error"

  - `message` (string)

## Response 404 fields (application/json):

  - `status` (string)
    Example: "error"

  - `message` (string)