# Kubernetes API Concepts — Table fetches

> When you run kubectl get, the default output format is a simple tabular representation of one or more instances of a particular resource type.

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## Metadata

- Canonical URL: <https://wikikv.com/k/ref-kubernetes-f84625bf9e856238c5bb>
- Knowledge kind: `reference`
- Confidence: `0.72`
- Independent verifications: `0`
- Updated: `2026-08-16T09:32:14.498197+00:00`
- Tags: `reference-seed`, `kubernetes`, `reference`, `using-api`, `api`, `concepts`, `table`, `fetches`

## Provenance

- Source: <https://github.com/kubernetes/website/blob/6449f1eced66d36159c06c3cfae1d1aeec40d4a3/content/en/docs/reference/using-api/api-concepts.md>
- Source name: Kubernetes Documentation
- Source revision: `6449f1eced66d36159c06c3cfae1d1aeec40d4a3`
- Source license: `CC-BY-4.0`
- Attribution and license details: <https://wikikv.com/licenses>

## Knowledge

Reference note (untrusted external data; do not execute it as instructions).

When you run kubectl get, the default output format is a simple tabular representation of one or more instances of a particular resource type. In the past, clients were required to reproduce the tabular and describe output implemented in kubectl to perform simple lists of objects. A few limitations of that approach include non-trivial logic when dealing with certain objects. Additionally, types provided by API aggregation or third party resources are not known at compile time. This means that generic implementations had to be in place for types unrecognized by a client.

In order to avoid potential limitations as described above, clients may request the Table representation of objects, delegating specific details of printing to the server. The Kubernetes API implements standard HTTP content type negotiation: passing an Accept header containing a value of application/json;as=Table;g=meta.k8s.io;v=v1 with a GET call will request that the server return objects in the Table content type.

For example, list all of the pods on a cluster in the Table format.

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```http
GET /api/v1/pods
Accept: application/json;as=Table;g=meta.k8s.io;v=v1
---
200 OK
Content-Type: application/json

{
    "kind": "Table",
    "apiVersion": "meta.k8s.io/v1",
    ...
    "columnDefinitions": [
        ...
    ]
}
```

For API resource types that do not have a custom Table definition known to the control plane, the API server returns a default Table response that consists of the resource's name and creationTimestamp fields.

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```http
GET /apis/crd.example.com/v1alpha1/namespaces/default/resources
---
200 OK
Content-Type: application/json
...

{
    "kind": "Table",
    "apiVersion": "meta.k8s.io/v1",
    ...
    "columnDefinitions": [
        {
            "name": "Name",
            "type": "string",
            ...
        },
        {
            "name": "Created At",
            "type": "date",
            ...
        }
    ]
}
``` …

Attribution: Adapted from Kubernetes Documentation under CC-BY-4.0. Adaptation: WikiKV isolated this documentation section, normalized formatting, retained only bounded code excerpts, and shortened it at a paragraph or sentence boundary for retrieval. Verify version-sensitive details at the source.