# Projections
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When reading objects in DynamoDB using the `GetItem`, `Scan`, `Query`, `BatchGetItem`, and `TransactGetItems` operations, you can optionally specify a projection that identifies the attributes that you want. The projection has the following structure, which is similar to filters: 

```
"projection" : {
    "expression" : "projection expression"
    "expressionNames" : {
        "#name" : "name",
    }
}
```

The fields are defined as follows:

**`expression`**   
The projection expression, which is a string. To retrieve a single attribute, specify its name. For multiple attributes, the names must be comma-separated values. For more information on writing projection expressions, see the [DynamoDB projection expressions](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazondynamodb/latest/developerguide/Expressions.ProjectionExpressions.html) documentation. This field is required. 

 **`expressionNames`**   
The substitutions for expression attribute *name* placeholders in the form of key-value pairs. The key corresponds to a name placeholder used in the `expression`. The value must be a string that corresponds to the attribute name of the item in DynamoDB. This field is optional and should only be populated with substitutions for expression attribute name placeholders used in the `expression`. For more information about `expressionNames`, see the [DynamoDB documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazondynamodb/latest/developerguide/Expressions.ExpressionAttributeNames.html). 

## Example 1
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The following example is a projection section for a VTL mapping template in which only the attributes `author` and `id` are returned from DynamoDB:

```
"projection" : {
    "expression" : "#author, id",
    "expressionNames" : {
        "#author" : "author"
    }
}
```

**Tip**  
You can access your GraphQL request selection set using [\$1context.info.selectionSetList](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/appsync/latest/devguide/resolver-context-reference.html#aws-appsync-resolver-context-reference-info). This field allows you to frame your projection expression dynamically according to your requirements.

**Note**  
While using projection expressions with the `Query` and `Scan` operations, the value for `select` must be `SPECIFIC_ATTRIBUTES`. For more information, see the [DynamoDB documentation](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/amazondynamodb/latest/APIReference/API_Query.html#DDB-Query-request-Select).