---
title: "client.segments()"
description: "Every method in this namespace: its signature, its parameters, what it returns and an example."
url: "https://openemail.uk/docs/java/reference/segments"
area: "Java"
category: "Reference"
---

# client.segments()

Every method in this namespace: its signature, its parameters, what it returns and an example.

## Methods

Saved conditions on contacts, such as opened in the last 90 days or a custom field, that narrow a broadcast to the people who match: save, change and delete them, and count who they match.

### `segments().list`

List the saved segments

```java
List<Map<String, Object>> list(RequestOptions options)
```

Returns every saved segment of the workspace as a plain list, newest first, each with its name, its description and its conditions. A workspace keeps at most 100, so the list is never paged.

A segment holds no contacts of its own. Who matches is worked out each time it is read, so use `segments().preview` to count the matches and pass a segment id as `segmentId` to `broadcasts().send` to narrow a broadcast with it.

Scopes: `audiences:read`.

**Parameters**

- `options.apiKey` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A list of maps, each with `id`, `name`, `description`, `definition`, `createdAt` and `updatedAt`.

**Example**

```java
List<Map<String, Object>> segments = client.segments().list();

for (Map<String, Object> segment : segments) {
    System.out.println(segment.get("id") + " " + segment.get("name"));
}
```

**Notes**

- The SDK retries it after a network failure or a retryable status, since it changes nothing.
- Segments belong to the workspace, not to the key or the person who made them.

Also available in: API [`GET /segments`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/audiences#get-segments); TypeScript [`nextmail.segments.list()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/segments#list); Python [`segments.list()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/segments#list); Ruby [`segments.list`](https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments#list); PHP [`segments->list`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#list); Go [`Segments.List`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#list); C# [`Segments.ListAsync`](https://openemail.uk/docs/csharp/reference/segments#list); CLI [`openemail segments list`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/segments#segments-list).

### `segments().get`

Get one segment

```java
Map<String, Object> get(String id, RequestOptions options)
```

Returns one saved segment by its id, with `match` and every condition in `definition`. The conditions come back as they were saved, so they can be edited and passed to `segments().update` or `segments().preview` as they are.

Scopes: `audiences:read`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): Segment id such as `seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42`.
- `options.apiKey` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A map for the segment.

**Example**

```java
Map<String, Object> segment = client.segments().get("seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42");

System.out.println(segment.get("name") + " " + segment.get("definition"));
```

**Notes**

- A segment from another workspace, or one that was deleted, is a 404 `segment_not_found`.

Also available in: API [`GET /segments/{id}`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/audiences#get-segments-id); TypeScript [`nextmail.segments.get()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/segments#get); Python [`segments.get()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/segments#get); Ruby [`segments.get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments#get); PHP [`segments->get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#get); Go [`Segments.Get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#get); C# [`Segments.GetAsync`](https://openemail.uk/docs/csharp/reference/segments#get); CLI [`openemail segments get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/segments#segments-get).

### `segments().create`

Save a segment

```java
Map<String, Object> create(Map<String, Object> body, RequestOptions options)
```

Saves a set of conditions under a name. `match` in `definition` is `all` (the default) when a contact has to meet every condition, or `any` when one is enough, and its `conditions` hold 1 to 20 of them.

Each condition names a `field` and an `operator`. `email` takes `is`, `is_not`, `contains`, `not_contains` and `ends_with`, and `name` takes those but `ends_with`, plus `is_set` and `is_not_set`. `source` takes `is` and `is_not` with how the contact was added. `created`, `opened`, `clicked` and `engaged` take `within_days` and `not_within_days` with `days`: when the contact was added, the last time they opened or clicked a tracked email from the workspace, and the later of those two. `audience` takes `in` and `not_in` with `audienceId`, and counts only subscribed members. `event` takes `within_days` and `not_within_days` with `event`, a name sent with `events().send`, and `days`. `attribute` takes `key`, the name of a custom field on the contact, with the operators `name` takes. Text is compared without regard to case.

Nothing is sent and no contact changes. A segment is used by passing its id as `segmentId` to `broadcasts().send`.

Scopes: `audiences:write`.

**Parameters**

- `body.name` (`String`, required): What the segment is called, 1 to 120 characters.
- `body.description` (`String`): A longer note, up to 500 characters.
- `body.definition` (`Map<String, Object>`, required): `match` (`all` or `any`) and `conditions`, 1 to 20 of them.
- `options.apiKey` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A map for the segment, with its new `seg_` id.

**Example**

```java
Map<String, Object> segment = client.segments().create(Body.of(
    "name", "Opened in the last 90 days",
    "definition", Body.of(
        "match", "all",
        "conditions", List.of(Body.of("field", "opened", "operator", "within_days", "days", 90))
    )
));

client.broadcasts().send(Body.of(
    "audienceIds", List.of("aud_4c1b8e2a7d9f05c36b4e8a71"),
    "segmentId", segment.get("id"),
    "from", "Acme <news@acme.com>",
    "subject", "Thanks for reading",
    "text", "Hi {{firstName|there}}, here is something for our regular readers."
));
```

**Notes**

- A workspace keeps at most 100 segments. The 101st is refused with 409 `segment_limit_reached`.
- An audience condition that names an audience the workspace does not have is a 404 `audience_not_found`, and an operator its field does not take is a 422 `invalid_parameter`.
- The SDK does not retry a create after a network failure, so a retry after a lost response can save two. List them and delete the spare.

Also available in: API [`POST /segments`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/audiences#post-segments); TypeScript [`nextmail.segments.create()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/segments#create); Python [`segments.create()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/segments#create); Ruby [`segments.create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments#create); PHP [`segments->create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#create); Go [`Segments.Create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#create); C# [`Segments.CreateAsync`](https://openemail.uk/docs/csharp/reference/segments#create); CLI [`openemail segments create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/segments#segments-create).

### `segments().update`

Change a segment

```java
Map<String, Object> update(String id, Map<String, Object> patch, RequestOptions options)
```

A partial update: a field you leave out keeps what it holds. Sending `definition` replaces `match` and every condition at once, and `description` set to null takes the description away.

A broadcast already sent or scheduled keeps the conditions it was given, so a change here only reaches the broadcasts sent after it.

Scopes: `audiences:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): The `seg_` id of the segment.
- `patch.name` (`String`): A new name, 1 to 120 characters.
- `patch.description` (`String or null`): A new note. Null takes it away.
- `patch.definition` (`Map<String, Object>`): New conditions, replacing the old ones.
- `options.apiKey` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A map for the segment as it stands after the change.

**Example**

```java
Map<String, Object> segment = client.segments().update("seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42", Body.of(
    "name", "Opened in the last 30 days",
    "definition", Body.of(
        "conditions", List.of(Body.of("field", "opened", "operator", "within_days", "days", 30))
    )
));

System.out.println(segment.get("updatedAt"));
```

**Notes**

- The SDK retries it after a network failure, since sending the same change twice leaves the same segment.
- A segment from another workspace is a 404 `segment_not_found`.

Also available in: API [`PATCH /segments/{id}`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/audiences#patch-segments-id); TypeScript [`nextmail.segments.update()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/segments#update); Python [`segments.update()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/segments#update); Ruby [`segments.update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments#update); PHP [`segments->update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#update); Go [`Segments.Update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#update); C# [`Segments.UpdateAsync`](https://openemail.uk/docs/csharp/reference/segments#update); CLI [`openemail segments update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/segments#segments-update).

### `segments().delete`

Delete a segment

```java
Map<String, Object> delete(String id, RequestOptions options)
```

Deletes the saved segment. No contact is touched, and a broadcast already sent or scheduled keeps the conditions it was given.

A draft that still names the segment in `segmentId` is refused with 404 `segment_not_found` when it is sent, until it names another segment or none.

Scopes: `audiences:write`.

**Parameters**

- `id` (`String`, required): The `seg_` id of the segment.
- `options.apiKey` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A map with `object` set to `segment`, `id` and `deleted` set to true.

**Example**

```java
Map<String, Object> removed = client.segments().delete("seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42");

System.out.println(removed.get("id") + " " + removed.get("deleted"));
```

**Notes**

- The SDK does not retry a delete. A 404 on your own second attempt after a lost response means the first one worked.

Also available in: API [`DELETE /segments/{id}`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/audiences#delete-segments-id); TypeScript [`nextmail.segments.delete()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/segments#delete); Python [`segments.delete()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/segments#delete); Ruby [`segments.delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments#delete); PHP [`segments->delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#delete); Go [`Segments.Delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#delete); C# [`Segments.DeleteAsync`](https://openemail.uk/docs/csharp/reference/segments#delete); CLI [`openemail segments delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/segments#segments-delete).

### `segments().preview`

Count the contacts a segment matches

```java
Map<String, Object> preview(Map<String, Object> body, RequestOptions options)
```

Counts the contacts a set of conditions matches now and returns up to 10 of them, without saving or sending anything. Pass the `definition` of a saved segment to count it, or new conditions to try them first.

With `audienceIds`, only the subscribed members of those audiences count, which is the number a broadcast to them with this segment would start from before unsubscribes and suppressions are taken out. `broadcasts().preview` with `segmentId` gives that final number.

Scopes: `audiences:read`.

**Parameters**

- `body.definition` (`Map<String, Object>`, required): The conditions to count, as `segments().create` takes them.
- `body.audienceIds` (`List<String>`): Up to 10 audiences. Only their subscribed members count. Left out, every contact of the workspace counts.
- `options.apiKey` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

A map with `contacts`, the number that match, and `sample`, up to 10 of them.

**Example**

```java
Map<String, Object> preview = client.segments().preview(Body.of(
    "definition", Body.of(
        "conditions", List.of(Body.of("field", "engaged", "operator", "not_within_days", "days", 180))
    ),
    "audienceIds", List.of("aud_4c1b8e2a7d9f05c36b4e8a71")
));

System.out.println(preview.get("contacts") + " people have not opened or clicked in six months");
```

**Notes**

- A condition on a custom field reads each contact it checks and stops at 20,000 of them, answering 422 `segment_too_large`. Narrow it with `audienceIds` first.
- The SDK retries it after a network failure or a retryable status, since it changes nothing.

Also available in: API [`POST /segments/preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/api/reference/audiences#post-segments-preview); TypeScript [`nextmail.segments.preview()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/sdk/reference/segments#preview); Python [`segments.preview()`](https://openemail.uk/docs/python/reference/segments#preview); Ruby [`segments.preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments#preview); PHP [`segments->preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#preview); Go [`Segments.Preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#preview); C# [`Segments.PreviewAsync`](https://openemail.uk/docs/csharp/reference/segments#preview); CLI [`openemail segments preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/cli/reference/segments#segments-preview).