> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://chatkitty-1.gitbook.io/chatkitty/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://chatkitty-1.gitbook.io/chatkitty/platform-api/files.md).

# Files

Files like pictures, videos, documents, etc. can be uploaded to ChatKitty. If you prefer hosting your own files, you can also create external file references pointing to your file servers.

## Properties

| Name        | Type   | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| ----------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| type        | Enum   | The type of this file. **Possible values** are [HOSTED](https://chatkitty.github.io/chatkitty-api-docs/platform/#files-file-uploads) and [EXTERNAL](https://chatkitty.github.io/chatkitty-api-docs/platform/#files-external-files) |
| url         | String | URL pointing to this file's content                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| name        | String | The name of this file                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| contentType | String | MIME type of this file                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| size        | Long   | 64 bit integer size of this file in bytes                                                                                                                                                                                          |

## File Uploads

To upload a file to ChatKitty, make a [multipart form data](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2388) `POST` request to a file upload endpoint:

* Your HTTP request content type header must be set to `multipart/form-data`.
* The content-disposition header for the part containing the file content must have a "name" parameter with the value `file`.
* The form data must be the content of the file.

#### Additional file upload properties <a href="#files-file-uploads-additional-file-upload-properties" id="files-file-uploads-additional-file-upload-properties"></a>

* Additional properties specific to the file upload endpoint can be sent using additional content parts
* The content-disposition header for the part containing the property must have a "name" parameter with the property name.
* The form data must be the value of the property.

The HTTP request for a file upload looks like this:

```bash
curl --location --request POST 'https://api.chatkitty.com/v1/file-upload-path' \
--header 'Content-Type: multipart/form-data' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer {{access_token}}' \
--form 'file=@./file-path/file_name.png' \
--form 'extraPropertyName=extraPropertyValue'
```

## External Files

If you'd rather host your own files, you can create an external file reference.

To create an external file reference, set the external file's parameters on the file property of an endpoint expecting an external file reference:

#### External File Parameters <a href="#files-external-files-external-file-parameters" id="files-external-files-external-file-parameters"></a>

| Parameter   | Type   | Description                                  |
| ----------- | ------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| url         | String | External URL pointing to this file's content |
| name        | String | The name of this file                        |
| contentType | String | MIME type of this file                       |
| size        | Long   | 64 bit integer size of this file in bytes    |