# Messages in one thread

> Markdown version of https://docs.postlake.dev/api/get-conversations-by-id-messages . The canonical page for humans.
> PostLake is the social media API for AI agents: https://postlake.dev/llms.txt

`GET /v1/conversations/{id}/messages`



## Request

Authenticate with a bearer API key. Agents calling over MCP authorise with OAuth instead and never handle the key.

```bash
curl -X GET https://api.postlake.dev/v1/conversations/{id}/messages \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $POSTLAKE_API_KEY"
```

### Parameters

| Field | Type | Required | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | string | Yes | In the URL. |
| `account` | string | Yes | Query string. Required: a conversation id only means something on one connection |
| `cursor` | string | No | Query string. Opaque cursor from a previous page |
| `limit` | integer | No | Query string. 1-100 |


## Response

Success (`200`).

| Field | Type | Required | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `items` | array | No |  |
| `cursor` | string | No |  |



### Example

```json
{
  "items": [
    "…"
  ],
  "cursor": "…"
}
```


## Calling this from an agent

Agents do not call REST. They call tools. Over the hosted MCP server this operation is `list_conversations`, and the agent authorises with OAuth so your API key is never pasted into a chat or seen by the model. You control what any one agent may do: which brands it may act for, which networks it may reach, how much a day, and whether it may spend credits bought up front.

## Errors

Every failure uses one shape: a stable `type`, a granular `code`, the field at fault in `param`, and a plain-language `fix`. See https://docs.postlake.dev/errors.md .

Retries are safe: send the same `Idempotency-Key` and a call that already succeeded returns its original result rather than repeating it.

## Common questions

**Can an AI agent do this without the REST API?**

Yes. Over MCP the same job is the list_conversations tool. The agent authorises with OAuth, so no API key is pasted into a chat or seen by the model, and the answer comes back in the same normalised shape.

**How often can I call this?**

Reads are rate limited per account and every response carries X-RateLimit-Remaining and X-RateLimit-Reset. On a 429 the Retry-After header tells you how long to wait.

**What happens when it fails?**

You get one error shape: a stable type, a granular code you can branch on, the offending field in param, and a fix written so an agent can correct itself rather than stop. Full list on Errors and retries.

## Related

- [Direct message threads](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/get-conversations.md) `GET /v1/conversations`
- [Open a conversation with someone](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/post-conversations.md) `POST /v1/conversations`
- [Send a direct message](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/post-conversations-by-id-messages.md) `POST /v1/conversations/{id}/messages`
- [Mark a conversation read](https://docs.postlake.dev/api/post-conversations-by-id-read.md) `POST /v1/conversations/{id}/read`