# Response Format

Horizon delivers responses as JSON objects formatted according to [HAL](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypertext_Application_Language). The HAL format makes Horizon more explorable, paginates responses, and connects parent and child resources. Consuming this format is simple using one of the many [open source libraries available](https://github.com/mikekelly/hal_specification/wiki/Libraries) for most major programming languages.

HAL is just JSON with two reserved attribute names:

* `_links`
* `_embedded`

If a response is a single record, the `_links` section will provide links to any parent or child records, and there will be no `_embedded` property.

If a response is a collection, the `_links` section will provide [pagination](/api/introduction/pagination/index.md) links, and the response’s list of records will be nested underneath the `_embedded` property.

 \- ATTRIBUTES - DATA TYPE - DESCRIPTION - \\\_links - array - Provides links for navigating to other pages or to parents and children. - \\\_embedded - array - Present when querying an endpoint that responds with a collection of records.

```javascript
{
  "_links": {
    "self": {
      "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/accounts/GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ/payments?cursor=&limit=5&order=asc"
    },
    "next": {
      "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/accounts/GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ/payments?cursor=111764193027313665&limit=5&order=asc"
    },
    "prev": {
      "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/accounts/GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ/payments?cursor=111720727958269953&limit=5&order=desc"
    }
  },
  "_embedded": {
    "records": [
      {
        "_links": {
          "self": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111720727958269953"
          },
          "transaction": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/transactions/4034838d5b47e4f8c23776faca4d9403637b1f037e436759b57fc892ae5cd96c"
          },
          "effects": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111720727958269953/effects"
          },
          "succeeds": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=desc\u0026cursor=111720727958269953"
          },
          "precedes": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=asc\u0026cursor=111720727958269953"
          }
        },
        "id": "111720727958269953",
        "paging_token": "111720727958269953",
        "transaction_successful": true,
        "source_account": "GAR4S3ASZ4HTJ6GQ2DEDLVL4YE6D64UPIOQI4I67L5VPYBGEZDGOI462",
        "type": "create_account",
        "type_i": 0,
        "created_at": "2019-09-26T12:34:24Z",
        "transaction_hash": "4034838d5b47e4f8c23776faca4d9403637b1f037e436759b57fc892ae5cd96c",
        "starting_balance": "20.0000000",
        "funder": "GAR4S3ASZ4HTJ6GQ2DEDLVL4YE6D64UPIOQI4I67L5VPYBGEZDGOI462",
        "account": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ"
      },
      {
        "_links": {
          "self": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111721376498331649"
          },
          "transaction": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/transactions/cbf92ce9e2b75b0182597acb1e7c0b58695ec6f69e84a8625c5ab1dda8df31bc"
          },
          "effects": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111721376498331649/effects"
          },
          "succeeds": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=desc\u0026cursor=111721376498331649"
          },
          "precedes": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=asc\u0026cursor=111721376498331649"
          }
        },
        "id": "111721376498331649",
        "paging_token": "111721376498331649",
        "transaction_successful": true,
        "source_account": "GAR4S3ASZ4HTJ6GQ2DEDLVL4YE6D64UPIOQI4I67L5VPYBGEZDGOI462",
        "type": "payment",
        "type_i": 1,
        "created_at": "2019-09-26T12:47:50Z",
        "transaction_hash": "cbf92ce9e2b75b0182597acb1e7c0b58695ec6f69e84a8625c5ab1dda8df31bc",
        "asset_type": "native",
        "from": "GAR4S3ASZ4HTJ6GQ2DEDLVL4YE6D64UPIOQI4I67L5VPYBGEZDGOI462",
        "to": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ",
        "amount": "5000.0000000"
      },
      {
        "_links": {
          "self": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111722218311925761"
          },
          "transaction": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/transactions/9fcf20d23862f40cd8a59f0ad0247a7d56a1b38cb79e4953b5aad8df5f2608a7"
          },
          "effects": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111722218311925761/effects"
          },
          "succeeds": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=desc\u0026cursor=111722218311925761"
          },
          "precedes": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=asc\u0026cursor=111722218311925761"
          }
        },
        "id": "111722218311925761",
        "paging_token": "111722218311925761",
        "transaction_successful": true,
        "source_account": "GBSIPZRLSM2KMLUZYEGKU2WMA6HPEE3NGB47YY4MLK43ISLLCJKFA2F2",
        "type": "payment",
        "type_i": 1,
        "created_at": "2019-09-26T13:05:12Z",
        "transaction_hash": "9fcf20d23862f40cd8a59f0ad0247a7d56a1b38cb79e4953b5aad8df5f2608a7",
        "asset_type": "native",
        "from": "GBSIPZRLSM2KMLUZYEGKU2WMA6HPEE3NGB47YY4MLK43ISLLCJKFA2F2",
        "to": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ",
        "amount": "10.0000000"
      },
      {
        "_links": {
          "self": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111747107647434753"
          },
          "transaction": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/transactions/44af49d32061cdb352d131559560559e7be815b16c45412b7682600c71224623"
          },
          "effects": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111747107647434753/effects"
          },
          "succeeds": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=desc\u0026cursor=111747107647434753"
          },
          "precedes": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=asc\u0026cursor=111747107647434753"
          }
        },
        "id": "111747107647434753",
        "paging_token": "111747107647434753",
        "transaction_successful": true,
        "source_account": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ",
        "type": "payment",
        "type_i": 1,
        "created_at": "2019-09-26T21:43:41Z",
        "transaction_hash": "44af49d32061cdb352d131559560559e7be815b16c45412b7682600c71224623",
        "asset_type": "credit_alphanum4",
        "asset_code": "BTC",
        "asset_issuer": "GATEMHCCKCY67ZUCKTROYN24ZYT5GK4EQZ65JJLDHKHRUZI3EUEKMTCH",
        "from": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ",
        "to": "GBSIPZRLSM2KMLUZYEGKU2WMA6HPEE3NGB47YY4MLK43ISLLCJKFA2F2",
        "amount": "0.0000709"
      },
      {
        "_links": {
          "self": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111764193027313665"
          },
          "transaction": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/transactions/7bd57f8cc75ce2d9740568eade9700cd7b19491a2c938232e5b3f0768f3e588a"
          },
          "effects": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/operations/111764193027313665/effects"
          },
          "succeeds": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=desc\u0026cursor=111764193027313665"
          },
          "precedes": {
            "href": "https://horizon.stellar.org/effects?order=asc\u0026cursor=111764193027313665"
          }
        },
        "id": "111764193027313665",
        "paging_token": "111764193027313665",
        "transaction_successful": true,
        "source_account": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ",
        "type": "payment",
        "type_i": 1,
        "created_at": "2019-09-27T03:37:57Z",
        "transaction_hash": "7bd57f8cc75ce2d9740568eade9700cd7b19491a2c938232e5b3f0768f3e588a",
        "asset_type": "credit_alphanum4",
        "asset_code": "BTC",
        "asset_issuer": "GATEMHCCKCY67ZUCKTROYN24ZYT5GK4EQZ65JJLDHKHRUZI3EUEKMTCH",
        "from": "GCRGHKY6RBFVQLF2JCHB7TK7A5BIABITFKVIEOXK4BPEIDE446OEFYXZ",
        "to": "GBSIPZRLSM2KMLUZYEGKU2WMA6HPEE3NGB47YY4MLK43ISLLCJKFA2F2",
        "amount": "0.0107156"
      }
    ]
  }
}
```

 


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://developers.docs.bantufoundation.org/api/introduction/response-format.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.