# PROPFIND method

> Retrieves properties defined on a resource, and optionally its member resources, in WebDAV.

Source: https://apiguide.dev/methods/propfind
Safe: yes
Idempotent: yes
Cacheable: no
Defined in: RFC 4918, Section 9.1 <https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc4918.html#section-9.1>
Updated: 2026-07-10

## What is the PROPFIND method?

The `PROPFIND` method is a WebDAV extension (RFC 4918) used by clients to retrieve properties, such as metadata and structure, from a resource and optionally the members of a collection.

## API Usage & Best Practices

* **Control the depth**: Use the `Depth` header to fetch properties for just the resource, its immediate children, or the whole tree.
* **Request specific properties**: Send an XML body naming the properties you want, or ask for all names, to avoid oversized responses.
* **Read-only**: PROPFIND never mutates state, making it safe to retry and cache-neutral.

## Common Response Codes

* **207 Multi-Status**: The standard success response, carrying per-resource property results in an XML body.
* **404 Not Found**: The target resource or collection does not exist.