> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.agentlinkops.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Read citation evidence
> Read one retained citation answer envelope and verify its exact content hash.
`get_citation_evidence`
Read one retained citation answer envelope and verify its exact content hash. Expired bodies return410; the hash does not prove an independent timestamp or provider authenticity.
Available in the deployed MCP and HTTP bundle. Confirm access and inputs with your connected catalog. Workspace scopes and enabled providers still apply.
| Access | Behavior |
| -------------- | ---------------- |
| `watches:read` | Reads saved data |
This read does not start a verification job.
## Example request
Connect through [MCP](/guides/connect-mcp), [CLI](/guides/connect-cli), or [HTTP](/guides/connect-http). Replace example identifiers with records from your workspace.
```json MCP theme={null}
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"id": 1,
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "get_citation_evidence",
"arguments": {
"observationId": "cio_example"
}
}
}
```
```bash CLI theme={null}
agentlinkops call get_citation_evidence --args '{"observationId":"cio_example"}'
```
```bash HTTP theme={null}
curl "$AGENTLINKOPS_API_URL/v1/commands/get_citation_evidence" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $AGENTLINKOPS_API_KEY" \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data '{"observationId":"cio_example"}'
```
## Returned result
Illustrative data validated against the documented response schema. IDs and dates are examples, not a live account capture. MCP returns this data in `structuredContent` and in a text content block; generic HTTP and CLI return the JSON result directly.
```json theme={null}
{
"observation": {
"id": "cio_example",
"workspace_id": "workspace_example",
"project_id": "project_example",
"epoch_id": "epoch_example",
"cell_id": "mock:builtin|prompt_example|d:example.com",
"run_index": 0,
"engine_identity": "mock:builtin",
"engine": "mock",
"provider": "builtin",
"model": null,
"provider_model_version": "fixture-v1",
"prompt_sha256": "4364b167170e8dd0b6caccab39a1fcf64d039013a50e091e8939d5187fa11007",
"content_sha256": "771a4a6afc3bb5b9637c8698caf894dfc9a081dd5bc13e41d75374ab13e9e39c",
"local_evidence_sha256": null,
"ingest_cli_version": "0.6.2",
"byte_length": 387,
"observed_at": "2026-09-20T00:00:00.000Z",
"created_at": "2026-09-20T00:00:00.000Z",
"expires_at": "2026-10-20T00:00:00.000Z",
"evidence_status": "retained",
"screenshot": {
"reference": null,
"sha256": null,
"retained": false
}
},
"envelopeJson": "{\"schema_version\":1,\"epoch_id\":\"epoch_example\",\"cell_id\":\"mock:builtin|prompt_example|d:example.com\",\"run_index\":0,\"prompt\":\"Which resources explain this topic?\",\"engine_identity\":\"mock:builtin\",\"provider_model_version\":\"fixture-v1\",\"answer\":\"Example answer.\",\"citations\":[],\"fan_out\":[],\"usage\":{\"input_tokens\":0,\"output_tokens\":0},\"cost_estimate_usd\":0,\"at\":\"2026-09-20T00:00:00.000Z\"}",
"integrity": {
"sha256": "771a4a6afc3bb5b9637c8698caf894dfc9a081dd5bc13e41d75374ab13e9e39c",
"verified": true
},
"screenshot": {
"reference": null,
"sha256": null,
"retained": false
}
}
```
## Input fields
Omit optional fields when you do not want to supply them. Null is accepted only where listed. Unknown input properties are rejected.
| Field | Type | Presence | Meaning and constraints |
| --------------- | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `observationId` | string | Required | ID of a saved observation; this does not fetch a new publisher page. minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 |
### Validation and omitted values
Recomputes the retained body digest before returning it. An expired body returns410; metadata and its digest may remain. Screenshot retained is always false in this release.
## Output fields
Fields inside optional or nullable parents apply only when that parent exists. [Common schema conventions](/reference/schemas) explain evidence states, empty lists and extensions.
* **`observation`** (object, required): additional fields rejected
* **`envelopeJson`** (string, required).
* **`integrity`** (object, required): additional fields rejected
* **`screenshot`** (object, required): additional fields rejected
| Field | Type | Presence | Meaning and constraints |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `observation` | object | Required | additional fields rejected |
| `observation.id` | string | Required | Resource identifier returned by the operation. minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 |
| `observation.workspace_id` | string | Required | Workspace that owns this record. minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 |
| `observation.project_id` | string | Required | Project that owns this record. minLength: 1; maxLength: 200 |
| `observation.epoch_id` | string | Required | Identifier returned by the related operation. |
| `observation.cell_id` | string | Required | Identifier returned by the related operation. |
| `observation.run_index` | integer | Required | minimum: 0; maximum: 9007199254740991 |
| `observation.engine_identity` | string | Required | |
| `observation.engine` | string | Required | |
| `observation.provider` | string | Required | |
| `observation.model` | string / null | Required | |
| `observation.provider_model_version` | string | Required | |
| `observation.prompt_sha256` | string | Required | pattern: "^\[a-f0-9]\{64}\$" |
| `observation.content_sha256` | string | Required | pattern: "^\[a-f0-9]\{64}\$" |
| `observation.local_evidence_sha256` | string / null | Required | |
| `observation.ingest_cli_version` | string | Required | |
| `observation.byte_length` | integer | Required | maximum: 9007199254740991; exclusiveMinimum: 0 |
| `observation.observed_at` | string | Required | UTC timestamp of the observation used here. |
| `observation.created_at` | string | Required | UTC timestamp when the record was created. |
| `observation.expires_at` | string | Required | |
| `observation.evidence_status` | string | Required | values: "retained", "expired" |
| `observation.screenshot` | object | Required | additional fields rejected |
| `observation.screenshot.reference` | string / null | Required | |
| `observation.screenshot.sha256` | string / null | Required | |
| `observation.screenshot.retained` | boolean | Required | must equal false |
| `envelopeJson` | string | Required | |
| `integrity` | object | Required | additional fields rejected |
| `integrity.sha256` | string | Required | pattern: "^\[a-f0-9]\{64}\$" |
| `integrity.verified` | boolean | Required | must equal true |
| `screenshot` | object | Required | additional fields rejected |
| `screenshot.reference` | string / null | Required | |
| `screenshot.sha256` | string / null | Required | |
| `screenshot.retained` | boolean | Required | must equal false |
[Download input schema](/schemas/get_citation_evidence.input.json) ยท [Download output schema](/schemas/get_citation_evidence.output.json)
## Errors and retries
The command is annotated idempotent. Reuse an accepted idempotency key when the input provides one; changing the payload under a reused key can conflict.
See [error recovery](/reference/errors) for status, scope, cooldown, cursor and retry handling. Unknown observations are result data and do not establish loss.
## HTTP resource routes
This operation has no separate resource alias. Use its generic command route in a matching environment.
## Continue
Follow the [related workflow](/guides/monitor-changes), inspect [capability status](/capability-status), or return to the [command index](/reference/index).