Expected Schema Check API

This page documents how to create and manage an Expected Schema check via the REST API. The check uses the standard Quality Checks endpoints: set rule to expectedSchema and declare the contract under properties. The rule reads the container itself, so fields is not used. All endpoints share the base URL of your deployment (for example, https://your-instance.qualytics.io/api) and require a Bearer token.

Tip

For complete API documentation, including request and response schemas, visit the API docs.

Permissions

All endpoints require the Member role plus a team permission on the check's datastore: Reporter to read, Author to create or update an Active check, archive, or delete, and Drafter to create or update a Draft. See Permissions for the full matrix.

The `properties` object

Expected Schema carries its rule-specific configuration under properties:

Field	Required	Type	Description
`list`	Yes	`array`	The names of the fields the container must carry. Names only: the type each one is checked against comes from the field's profile, not from this payload.
`allow_other_fields`	Yes	`boolean`	`true` tolerates columns outside the declaration; `false` requires the container to hold exactly the declared set.

Create

Endpoint: POST /api/quality-checks

Permission: Member role + Author team permission on the container's datastore (Drafter when status is "Draft").

Create an Expected Schema check (every accepted field)

curl -X POST "https://your-instance.qualytics.io/api/quality-checks" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
      "description": "The ORDERS extract must match the agreed layout.",
      "rule": "expectedSchema",
      "fields": [],
      "container_id": 145,
      "filter": null,
      "properties": {"list": ["o_orderkey", "o_custkey", "o_orderstatus", "o_totalprice"], "allow_other_fields": false},
      "tags": ["schema", "contract"],
      "additional_metadata": {"jira": "DATA-9801"},
      "template_id": null,
      "status": "Active",
      "owner_id": 7,
      "default_anomaly_assignee_id": 12
  }'

Field notes

Field	Required	Notes
`description`	Yes	Free-text description shown in the UI.
`rule`	Yes	Must be `"expectedSchema"`.
`fields`	No	Expected Schema does not select columns on the check itself; the declaration lives under `properties`. Send an empty array `[]` or omit.
`container_id`	Yes	ID of the container (table or file) the check runs against.
`filter`	No	Not supported by this rule. Send `null` or omit it; a non-empty expression is rejected with `422`.
`properties`	Yes	Object holding the declaration and the extra-fields policy. See above.
`tags`	No	List of tag names applied to the check for filtering and organization.
`additional_metadata`	No	Free-form key-value pairs (typically links to catalog entries, tickets, governance records).
`template_id`	No	Send `null` or omit it. Expected Schema is not offered as a template rule type, so no Check Template carries this rule.
`status`	No	`"Active"` (default) or `"Draft"`. Draft checks are not evaluated by Scans.
`owner_id`	No	ID of the user who owns the check. Defaults to the user creating the check when omitted.
`default_anomaly_assignee_id`	No	ID of the user automatically assigned to anomalies produced by the check.

Two payload fields exist for other rule types but do not apply here:

coverage is not supported. The rule reads the container's structure, not its rows, so there is no per-row violation rate; any value other than 1 is rejected with 422.
anomaly_message_field is ignored. Expected Schema emits a Shape Anomaly only, and Shape Anomalies always use the fixed message.

Read

Endpoint: GET /api/quality-checks/{id}

Permission: Member role + Reporter team permission on the check's datastore.

Retrieve a check by ID

curl -X GET "https://your-instance.qualytics.io/api/quality-checks/101" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

Update

Endpoint: PUT /api/quality-checks/{id}

Permission: Member role + Author team permission on the check's datastore (Drafter when the check stays Draft).

The PUT endpoint requires description; include the check's current description (or a new one) along with the fields you want to change. Send the whole properties object: partial property updates are not merged.

Tolerate undeclared columns

curl -X PUT "https://your-instance.qualytics.io/api/quality-checks/101" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "description": "The ORDERS extract must carry the agreed fields; extras are allowed.",
    "properties": {
        "list": ["o_orderkey", "o_custkey", "o_orderstatus", "o_totalprice"],
        "allow_other_fields": true
    }
  }'

A PUT can update most fields on an existing Expected Schema check. Three values stay immutable: the rule type, the container the check is attached to, and template_id. If either of the first two needs to change, delete the check and create a new one.

Editable vs Immutable on PUT

Editable

description
properties.list (the declaration)
properties.allow_other_fields
tags
additional_metadata
status
owner_id
default_anomaly_assignee_id

Immutable

rule
container_id
template_id

Delete

Endpoint: DELETE /api/quality-checks/{id}

Permission: Member role + Author team permission on the check's datastore.

Three query parameters control what happens, mirroring the two-stage flow in the UI:

Parameter	Default	Description
`archive`	`true`	When `true`, the check is archived and can be restored later. When `false`, the check is permanently deleted.
`status`	`Discarded`	The archive resolution: `Discarded` (no longer relevant) or `Invalid` (wrong and suppressed from future AI generation). Only used when `archive=true`.
`delete_anomalies`	`true`	Whether to permanently delete the anomalies the check produced. A permanent delete (`archive=false`) always removes them.

Archive a check, keeping its anomalies

curl -X DELETE "https://your-instance.qualytics.io/api/quality-checks/101?archive=true&status=Discarded&delete_anomalies=false" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

Delete a check permanently

curl -X DELETE "https://your-instance.qualytics.io/api/quality-checks/101?archive=false" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN"

Error responses

Status	Description
`400 Bad Request`	A business-logic conflict prevents the operation (for example, changing properties while the check is archived, or switching an archived check between `Discarded` and `Invalid`).
`401 Unauthorized`	Missing or invalid API token.
`403 Forbidden`	The caller lacks the required team permission on the check's datastore.
`404 Not Found`	The check ID does not exist.
`422 Unprocessable Entity`	The payload fails schema validation (for example, `description` missing on `PUT`, or `properties.list` is missing or empty).