There are more AWS SDK examples available in the [AWS Doc SDK Examples](https://github.com/awsdocs/aws-doc-sdk-examples) GitHub repo.

# Use `DescribeThing` with an AWS SDK or CLI
<a name="iot_example_iot_DescribeThing_section"></a>

The following code examples show how to use `DescribeThing`.

Action examples are code excerpts from larger programs and must be run in context. You can see this action in context in the following code example: 
+  [Learn the basics](iot_example_iot_Scenario_section.md) 

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#### [ C\$1\$1 ]

**SDK for C\$1\$1**  
 There's more on GitHub. Find the complete example and learn how to set up and run in the [AWS Code Examples Repository](https://github.com/awsdocs/aws-doc-sdk-examples/tree/main/cpp/example_code/iot#code-examples). 

```
//! Describe an AWS IoT thing.
/*!
  \param thingName: The name for the thing.
  \param clientConfiguration: AWS client configuration.
  \return bool: Function succeeded.
 */
bool AwsDoc::IoT::describeThing(const Aws::String &thingName,
                                const Aws::Client::ClientConfiguration &clientConfiguration) {
    Aws::IoT::IoTClient iotClient(clientConfiguration);

    Aws::IoT::Model::DescribeThingRequest request;
    request.SetThingName(thingName);

    Aws::IoT::Model::DescribeThingOutcome outcome = iotClient.DescribeThing(request);

    if (outcome.IsSuccess()) {
        const Aws::IoT::Model::DescribeThingResult &result = outcome.GetResult();
        std::cout << "Retrieved thing '" << result.GetThingName() << "'" << std::endl;
        std::cout << "thingArn: " << result.GetThingArn() << std::endl;
        std::cout << result.GetAttributes().size() << " attribute(s) retrieved"
                  << std::endl;
        for (const auto &attribute: result.GetAttributes()) {
            std::cout << "  attribute: " << attribute.first << "=" << attribute.second
                      << std::endl;
        }
    }
    else {
        std::cerr << "Error describing thing " << thingName << ": " <<
                  outcome.GetError().GetMessage() << std::endl;
    }

    return outcome.IsSuccess();
}
```
+  For API details, see [DescribeThing](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForCpp/iot-2015-05-28/DescribeThing) in *AWS SDK for C\$1\$1 API Reference*. 

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#### [ CLI ]

**AWS CLI**  
**To display detailed information about a thing**  
The following `describe-thing` example display information about a thing (device) that is defined in the AWS IoT registry for your AWS account.  
aws iot describe-thing --thing-name "MyLightBulb"  
Output:  

```
{
    "defaultClientId": "MyLightBulb",
    "thingName": "MyLightBulb",
    "thingId": "40da2e73-c6af-406e-b415-15acae538797",
    "thingArn": "arn:aws:iot:us-west-2:123456789012:thing/MyLightBulb",
    "thingTypeName": "LightBulb",
    "attributes": {
        "model": "123",
        "wattage": "75"
    },
    "version": 1
}
```
For more information, see [How to Manage Things with the Registry](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/thing-registry.html) in the *AWS IoT Developers Guide*.  
+  For API details, see [DescribeThing](https://awscli.amazonaws.com/v2/documentation/api/latest/reference/iot/describe-thing.html) in *AWS CLI Command Reference*. 

------
#### [ Java ]

**SDK for Java 2.x**  
 There's more on GitHub. Find the complete example and learn how to set up and run in the [AWS Code Examples Repository](https://github.com/awsdocs/aws-doc-sdk-examples/tree/main/javav2/example_code/iot#code-examples). 

```
    /**
     * Describes an IoT Thing asynchronously.
     *
     * @param thingName The name of the IoT Thing.
     *
     * This method initiates an asynchronous request to describe an IoT Thing.
     * If the request is successful, it prints the Thing details.
     * If an exception occurs, it prints the error message.
     */
    private void describeThing(String thingName) {
        DescribeThingRequest thingRequest = DescribeThingRequest.builder()
            .thingName(thingName)
            .build();

        CompletableFuture<DescribeThingResponse> future = getAsyncClient().describeThing(thingRequest);
        future.whenComplete((describeResponse, ex) -> {
            if (describeResponse != null) {
                System.out.println("Thing Details:");
                System.out.println("Thing Name: " + describeResponse.thingName());
                System.out.println("Thing ARN: " + describeResponse.thingArn());
            } else {
                Throwable cause = ex != null ? ex.getCause() : null;
                if (cause instanceof IotException) {
                    System.err.println(((IotException) cause).awsErrorDetails().errorMessage());
                } else if (cause != null) {
                    System.err.println("Unexpected error: " + cause.getMessage());
                } else {
                    System.err.println("Failed to describe Thing.");
                }
            }
        });

        future.join();
    }
```
+  For API details, see [DescribeThing](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/goto/SdkForJavaV2/iot-2015-05-28/DescribeThing) in *AWS SDK for Java 2.x API Reference*. 

------
#### [ Kotlin ]

**SDK for Kotlin**  
 There's more on GitHub. Find the complete example and learn how to set up and run in the [AWS Code Examples Repository](https://github.com/awsdocs/aws-doc-sdk-examples/tree/main/kotlin/services/iot#code-examples). 

```
suspend fun describeThing(thingNameVal: String) {
    val thingRequest =
        DescribeThingRequest {
            thingName = thingNameVal
        }

    // Print Thing details.
    IotClient.fromEnvironment { region = "us-east-1" }.use { iotClient ->
        val describeResponse = iotClient.describeThing(thingRequest)
        println("Thing details:")
        println("Thing name: ${describeResponse.thingName}")
        println("Thing ARN:  ${describeResponse.thingArn}")
    }
}
```
+  For API details, see [DescribeThing](https://sdk.amazonaws.com/kotlin/api/latest/index.html) in *AWS SDK for Kotlin API reference*. 

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