> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.open-metadata.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Update a Topic

> Update topic properties using JSON Patch

# Update a Topic

Update a topic's properties using JSON Merge Patch. You can update by ID or by fully qualified name.

## Update by ID

<ParamField path="id" type="string" required>
  UUID of the topic to update.
</ParamField>

## Update by Name

Use `PATCH /v1/topics/name/{fqn}` to update by fully qualified name.

<ParamField path="fqn" type="string" required>
  Fully qualified name of the topic (e.g., `sample_kafka.address_book`).
</ParamField>

## Body Parameters

Send a JSON object with the fields to update. Only provided fields are changed.

<ParamField body="description" type="string">
  Updated description in Markdown format.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="displayName" type="string">
  Updated display name.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="messageSchema" type="object">
  Updated message schema.

  <Expandable title="properties">
    <ParamField body="schemaType" type="string">
      Type of schema (e.g., `Avro`, `Protobuf`, `JSON`, `Other`).
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField body="schemaText" type="string">
      The schema definition text.
    </ParamField>
  </Expandable>
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="owners" type="array">
  Updated list of owner references.

  <Expandable title="properties">
    <ParamField body="id" type="string">
      UUID of the owner entity.
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField body="type" type="string">
      Type of owner entity (e.g., `user`, `team`).
    </ParamField>
  </Expandable>
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="tags" type="array">
  Updated classification tags.

  <Expandable title="properties">
    <ParamField body="tagFQN" type="string" required>
      Fully qualified name of the tag.
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField body="labelType" type="string">
      Type of label (e.g., `Manual`, `Derived`, `Propagated`).
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField body="state" type="string">
      State of the tag (e.g., `Suggested`, `Confirmed`).
    </ParamField>
  </Expandable>
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="domain" type="string">
  Updated domain FQN.
</ParamField>

<ParamField body="extension" type="object">
  Updated custom property values.
</ParamField>

<RequestExample dropdown>
  ```python PATCH /v1/topics/{id} theme={null}
  from metadata.sdk import configure
  from metadata.sdk.entities import Topics

  configure(
      host="https://your-company.open-metadata.org/api",
      jwt_token="your-jwt-token"
  )

  # Retrieve, modify, and update
  topic = Topics.retrieve("0a021819-982e-4ee4-a5a2-4af30eaa3016")
  topic.description = "Updated: All Protobuf record events captured with enhanced schema"
  topic.messageSchema = {
      "schemaType": "Protobuf",
      "schemaText": "syntax = \"proto3\";\npackage tutorial;\nmessage Person { ... }"
  }
  updated = Topics.update(topic)

  print(f"Updated to version {updated.version}")
  ```

  ```java PATCH /v1/topics/{id} theme={null}
  import static org.openmetadata.sdk.fluent.Topics.*;

  // Retrieve, modify, and update
  var topic = Topics.retrieve("0a021819-982e-4ee4-a5a2-4af30eaa3016");
  topic.setDescription("Updated: All Protobuf record events captured with enhanced schema");
  var updated = Topics.update(topic);
  ```

  ```bash PATCH /v1/topics/{id} theme={null}
  # Update by ID
  curl -X PATCH "{base_url}/api/v1/topics/0a021819-982e-4ee4-a5a2-4af30eaa3016" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer {access_token}" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json-patch+json" \
    -d '[
      {"op": "replace", "path": "/description", "value": "Updated: All Protobuf record events captured with enhanced schema"}
    ]'

  # Update by name
  curl -X PATCH "{base_url}/api/v1/topics/name/sample_kafka.address_book" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer {access_token}" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json-patch+json" \
    -d '[
      {"op": "replace", "path": "/description", "value": "Updated: All Protobuf record events captured with enhanced schema"}
    ]'
  ```
</RequestExample>

<ResponseExample>
  ```json Response theme={null}
  {
    "id": "0a021819-982e-4ee4-a5a2-4af30eaa3016",
    "name": "address_book",
    "fullyQualifiedName": "sample_kafka.address_book",
    "description": "Updated: All Protobuf record events captured with enhanced schema",
    "version": 0.2,
    "updatedAt": 1769982663546,
    "updatedBy": "admin",
    "service": {
      "id": "469ef25e-9bdf-4d5f-8553-eb0ce8581f30",
      "type": "messagingService",
      "name": "sample_kafka",
      "fullyQualifiedName": "sample_kafka",
      "displayName": "sample_kafka",
      "deleted": false
    },
    "serviceType": "Kafka",
    "messageSchema": {
      "schemaText": "syntax = \"proto2\";\npackage tutorial;\nmessage Person { ... }",
      "schemaType": "Protobuf",
      "schemaFields": [
        {
          "name": "AddressBook",
          "dataType": "RECORD",
          "fullyQualifiedName": "sample_kafka.address_book.AddressBook",
          "children": []
        }
      ]
    },
    "partitions": 1,
    "cleanupPolicies": ["delete"],
    "replicationFactor": 1,
    "maximumMessageSize": 1,
    "retentionSize": -1,
    "href": "http://localhost:8585/api/v1/topics/0a021819-982e-4ee4-a5a2-4af30eaa3016",
    "deleted": false,
    "owners": [],
    "tags": [],
    "domains": []
  }
  ```
</ResponseExample>

***

## Returns

Returns the updated topic object with the new version number.

## Response

<ResponseField name="id" type="string">
  Unique identifier for the topic (UUID format).
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="name" type="string">
  Topic name.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="fullyQualifiedName" type="string">
  Fully qualified name in format `service.topicName`.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="description" type="string">
  Updated description.
</ResponseField>

<ResponseField name="version" type="number">
  Incremented version number.
</ResponseField>

***

## Error Handling

| Code  | Error Type     | Description                                |
| ----- | -------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `400` | `BAD_REQUEST`  | Invalid JSON patch or malformed request    |
| `401` | `UNAUTHORIZED` | Invalid or missing authentication token    |
| `403` | `FORBIDDEN`    | User lacks permission to update this topic |
| `404` | `NOT_FOUND`    | Topic with given ID or FQN does not exist  |
| `409` | `CONFLICT`     | Concurrent modification detected           |