---
title: "Service: /hosts [GET]"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/api/services/hosts-GET.html
description: "This service retrieves a paginated list of hosts and their aliases configured on the server. It supports filtering by external status and requires administrator permissions. Returns XML with host details and associated aliases."
last_updated: 2026-09-02T11:36:22+10:00
document_type: api_endpoint
operation_id: host-GET
resource_id: host
path_template: /hosts
http_method: GET
api_category: host
implementation_version: 6.2004
api_since: 5.3000
deprecated_since: null
obsolete_since: null
api_support: supported
cache_control: null
generated_at: 2026-09-02
tokens: ~327
---

# /hosts \[GET\]

## Description

This service returns the list of [hosts](../../reference/glossary/host.md) and host aliases currently defined on the server.

To create a new host uses the [/hosts \[POST\]](hosts-POST.md) service.

New hosts might also be created when posting comments against a URL, if the hostname of that URL has not been previously registered.

## Parameters

| Name | Description | Required | Type | Default value |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| external | Whether external hosts should be returned | no | boolean | false |
| page | The page requested | no | integer | 1 |
| pagesize | The maximum number of hosts per page | no | integer | 200 |

This service implements [paging](../usage/parameters.md); pages are based on the number of hosts (aliases are not included in the count)

## Permission

This service requires administrator.

## Response

This service returns each host and their aliases as `<host>` and `<alias>` elements as in the following example:

```xml

<hosts [limitreached="true"]>
  <host id="2" name="acme.com" external="false"/>
  <host id="1" name="mycompany.com" external="false">
    <aliases>
      <alias id="3" name="www.mycompany.com"/>
    </aliases>
  </host>
  ...
</hosts>
```

## Error Handling

No specific errors expected for this service.