---
title: "client.segments"
description: "Every method in this namespace: its signature, its parameters, what it returns and an example."
url: "https://openemail.uk/docs/ruby/reference/segments"
area: "Ruby"
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

```ruby
list(api_key: nil) -> Array<Hash>
```

Returns every saved segment of the workspace as a plain Array, 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 `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**

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

**Returns**

An Array of Hashes, each with `id`, `name`, `description`, `definition`, `createdAt` and `updatedAt`.

**Example**

```ruby
segments = client.segments.list

segments.each { |segment| puts "#{segment[:id]} #{segment[:name]} #{segment[:definition][:conditions].size}" }
```

**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); PHP [`segments->list`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#list); Go [`Segments.List`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#list); Java [`segments().list`](https://openemail.uk/docs/java/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

```ruby
get(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

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

Scopes: `audiences:read`.

**Parameters**

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

**Returns**

A Hash for the segment.

**Example**

```ruby
segment = client.segments.get("seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42")

puts segment[:name], segment[:definition][:match]
```

**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); PHP [`segments->get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#get); Go [`Segments.Get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#get); Java [`segments().get`](https://openemail.uk/docs/java/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

```ruby
create(body = nil, api_key: nil, **fields) -> Hash
```

Saves a set of conditions under a name. `definition[:match]` is `all` (the default) when a contact has to meet every condition, or `any` when one is enough, and `definition[:conditions]` holds 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**

- `name` (`String`, required): What the segment is called, 1 to 120 characters.
- `description` (`String`): A longer note, up to 500 characters.
- `definition` (`Hash`, required): `{match: "all" or "any", conditions: [...]}` with 1 to 20 conditions.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

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

**Example**

```ruby
segment = client.segments.create(
  name: "Opened in the last 90 days",
  definition: {match: "all", conditions: [{field: "opened", operator: "within_days", days: 90}]}
)

client.broadcasts.send(
  audienceIds: ["aud_4c1b8e2a7d9f05c36b4e8a71"],
  segmentId: segment[: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); PHP [`segments->create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#create); Go [`Segments.Create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#create); Java [`segments().create`](https://openemail.uk/docs/java/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

```ruby
update(id, patch = nil, api_key: nil, **fields) -> Hash
```

A partial update: a key you leave out keeps what it holds. Sending `definition` replaces `match` and every condition at once, and `description: nil` 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.
- `name` (`String`): A new name, 1 to 120 characters.
- `description` (`String or nil`): A new note. `nil` takes it away.
- `definition` (`Hash`): New conditions, replacing the old ones.
- `api_key` (`String`): Overrides the client's API key for this call only.

**Returns**

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

**Example**

```ruby
segment = client.segments.update(
  "seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42",
  name: "Opened in the last 30 days",
  definition: {conditions: [{field: "opened", operator: "within_days", days: 30}]}
)

puts segment[: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); PHP [`segments->update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#update); Go [`Segments.Update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#update); Java [`segments().update`](https://openemail.uk/docs/java/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

```ruby
delete(id, api_key: nil) -> Hash
```

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

**Returns**

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

**Example**

```ruby
removed = client.segments.delete("seg_5d2a9c7e1b4f08a36c1e9b42")

puts removed[:id], removed[: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); PHP [`segments->delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#delete); Go [`Segments.Delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#delete); Java [`segments().delete`](https://openemail.uk/docs/java/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

```ruby
preview(body = nil, api_key: nil, **fields) -> Hash
```

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**

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

**Returns**

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

**Example**

```ruby
preview = client.segments.preview(
  definition: {conditions: [{field: "engaged", operator: "not_within_days", days: 180}]},
  audienceIds: ["aud_4c1b8e2a7d9f05c36b4e8a71"]
)

puts "#{preview[: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); PHP [`segments->preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/php/reference/segments#preview); Go [`Segments.Preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/go/reference/segments#preview); Java [`segments().preview`](https://openemail.uk/docs/java/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).