# Thing types
Thing types allow you to store description and configuration information that is common to all things associated with the same thing type. This simplifies the management of things in the registry. For example, you can define a LightBulb thing type. All things associated with the LightBulb thing type share a set of attributes: serial number, manufacturer, and wattage. When you create a thing of type LightBulb (or change the type of an existing thing to LightBulb) you can specify values for each of the attributes defined in the LightBulb thing type.
Although thing types are optional, their use makes it easier to discover things.
+ Things with a thing type can have up to 50 attributes.
+ Things without a thing type can have up to three attributes.
+ A thing can be associated with only one thing type.
+ There is no limit on the number of thing types you can create in your account.
You can't change a thing type name after it has been created. You can deprecate a thing type at any time to prevent new things from being associated with it. You can also delete thing types that have no things associated with them.
**Topics**
+ [
# Create a thing type
](create-thing-type.md)
+ [
# List thing types
](list-thing-types.md)
+ [
# Describe a thing type
](describe-thing-type.md)
+ [
# Associate a thing type with a thing
](associate-thing-type.md)
+ [
# Update a thing type
](update-thing-type.md)
+ [
# Deprecate a thing type
](deprecate-thing-type.md)
+ [
# Delete a thing type
](delete-thing-types.md)
# Create a thing type
You can use the **CreateThingType** command to create a thing type:
```
$ aws iot create-thing-type
--thing-type-name "LightBulb" --thing-type-properties "thingTypeDescription=light bulb type, searchableAttributes=wattage,model"
```
The **CreateThingType** command returns a response that contains the thing type and its ARN:
```
{
"thingTypeName": "LightBulb",
"thingTypeId": "df9c2d8c-894d-46a9-8192-9068d01b2886",
"thingTypeArn": "arn:aws:iot:us-west-2:123456789012:thingtype/LightBulb"
}
```
# List thing types
You can use the **ListThingTypes** command to list thing types:
```
$ aws iot list-thing-types
```
The **ListThingTypes** command returns a list of the thing types defined in your AWS account:
```
{
"thingTypes": [
{
"thingTypeName": "LightBulb",
"thingTypeProperties": {
"searchableAttributes": [
"wattage",
"model"
],
"thingTypeDescription": "light bulb type"
},
"thingTypeMetadata": {
"deprecated": false,
"creationDate": 1468423800950
}
}
]
}
```
# Describe a thing type
You can use the **DescribeThingType** command to get information about a thing type:
```
$ aws iot describe-thing-type --thing-type-name "LightBulb"
```
The **DescribeThingType** command returns information about the specified type:
```
{
"thingTypeProperties": {
"searchableAttributes": [
"model",
"wattage"
],
"thingTypeDescription": "light bulb type"
},
"thingTypeId": "df9c2d8c-894d-46a9-8192-9068d01b2886",
"thingTypeArn": "arn:aws:iot:us-west-2:123456789012:thingtype/LightBulb",
"thingTypeName": "LightBulb",
"thingTypeMetadata": {
"deprecated": false,
"creationDate": 1544466338.399
}
}
```
# Associate a thing type with a thing
You can use the **CreateThing** command to specify a thing type when you create a thing:
```
$ aws iot create-thing --thing-name "MyLightBulb" --thing-type-name "LightBulb" --attribute-payload "{\"attributes\": {\"wattage\":\"75\", \"model\":\"123\"}}"
```
You can use the **UpdateThing** command at any time to change the thing type associated with a thing:
```
$ aws iot update-thing --thing-name "MyLightBulb"
--thing-type-name "LightBulb" --attribute-payload "{\"attributes\": {\"wattage\":\"75\", \"model\":\"123\"}}"
```
You can also use the **UpdateThing** command to disassociate a thing from a thing type.
# Update a thing type
You can use the **UpdateThingType** command to update a thing type when you create a thing:
```
$ aws iot create-thing --thing-name "MyLightBulb" --thing-type-name "LightBulb" --attribute-payload "{\"attributes\": {\"wattage\":\"75\", \"model\":\"123\"}}"
```
You can use the **UpdateThing** command at any time to change the thing type associated with a thing:
```
$ aws iot update-thing --thing-name "MyLightBulb"
--thing-type-name "LightBulb" --attribute-payload "{\"attributes\": {\"wattage\":\"75\", \"model\":\"123\"}}"
```
You can also use the **UpdateThing** command to disassociate a thing from a thing type.
# Deprecate a thing type
Thing types are immutable. They can't be changed after they are defined. You can, however, deprecate a thing type to prevent users from associating any new things with it. All existing things associated with the thing type are unchanged.
To deprecate a thing type, use the **DeprecateThingType** command:
```
$ aws iot deprecate-thing-type --thing-type-name "myThingType"
```
You can use the **DescribeThingType** command to see the result:
```
$ aws iot describe-thing-type --thing-type-name "StopLight":
```
```
{
"thingTypeName": "StopLight",
"thingTypeProperties": {
"searchableAttributes": [
"wattage",
"numOfLights",
"model"
],
"thingTypeDescription": "traffic light type",
},
"thingTypeMetadata": {
"deprecated": true,
"creationDate": 1468425854308,
"deprecationDate": 1468446026349
}
}
```
Deprecating a thing type is a reversible operation. You can undo a deprecation by using the `--undo-deprecate` flag with the **DeprecateThingType** CLI command:
```
$ aws iot deprecate-thing-type --thing-type-name "myThingType" --undo-deprecate
```
You can use the **DescribeThingType** CLI command to see the result:
```
$ aws iot describe-thing-type --thing-type-name "StopLight":
```
```
{
"thingTypeName": "StopLight",
"thingTypeArn": "arn:aws:iot:us-east-1:123456789012:thingtype/StopLight",
"thingTypeId": "12345678abcdefgh12345678ijklmnop12345678"
"thingTypeProperties": {
"searchableAttributes": [
"wattage",
"numOfLights",
"model"
],
"thingTypeDescription": "traffic light type"
},
"thingTypeMetadata": {
"deprecated": false,
"creationDate": 1468425854308,
}
}
```
# Delete a thing type
You can delete thing types only after they have been deprecated. To delete a thing type, use the **DeleteThingType** command:
```
$ aws iot delete-thing-type --thing-type-name "StopLight"
```
**Note**
Before you can delete a thing type, wait for five minutes after you deprecate it.