This guide explains how to use the
[`get()`](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference/rpc/google.chat.v1#google.chat.v1.ChatService.GetSpaceReadState)
method on the `SpaceReadState` resource of the Google Chat API to get details about
a user's read state within a space. To get the read state of a message in a
message thread, see
[Get details about a user's thread read state](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/get-thread-read-state).

The
[`SpaceReadState` resource](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference/rpc/google.chat.v1#google.chat.v1.SpaceReadState)
is a singleton resource that represents details about a
specified user's last read message in a Google Chat space.

## Prerequisites


### Node.js

- A Business or Enterprise [Google Workspace](https://support.google.com/a/answer/6043576) account with access to [Google Chat](https://workspace.google.com/products/chat/).

<!-- -->

- Set up your environment:
  - [Create a Google Cloud project](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/create-project).
  - [Configure the OAuth consent screen](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/configure-oauth-consent).
  - [Enable and configure the Google Chat API](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/configure-chat-api) with a name, icon, and description for your Chat app.
  - Install the Node.js [Cloud Client Library](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/libraries?tab=nodejs#cloud-client-libraries).
  - [Create OAuth client ID credentials](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/authenticate-authorize-chat-user#step-2:) for a desktop application. To run the sample in this guide, save the credentials as a JSON file named `credentials.json` to your local directory.

  For guidance, complete the steps for setting up your environment in this [quickstart](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/guides/quickstart/nodejs
  #set-up-environment).
- [Choose an authorization scope](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/authenticate-authorize#asynchronous-chat-calls) that supports user authentication.


> [!NOTE]
> The code samples in this page use the gRPC API interface with the Google Cloud client libraries. Alternatively, you can use the REST API interface. For more information about the gRPC and REST interfaces, see [Google Chat API overview](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference).

<br />

## Get the calling user's space read state

To get details about a user's read state within a space, include the following
in your request:

- Specify the `chat.users.readstate` or `chat.users.readstate.readonly` authorization scope.
- Call the [`GetSpaceReadState()`](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference/rpc/google.chat.v1#google.chat.v1.ChatService.GetSpaceReadState) method, passing the `name` of the space read state to get which includes a user ID or alias and a space ID. Getting space read state only supports getting the read state of the calling user, which can be specified by setting one of the following:
  - The `me` alias. For example, `users/me/spaces/SPACE/spaceReadState`.
  - The calling user's Workspace email address. For example, `users/user@example.com/spaces/SPACE/spaceReadState`.
  - The calling user's user ID. For example, `users/USER/spaces/SPACE/spaceReadState`.

The following example gets the calling user's space read state:

### Node.js

chat/client-libraries/cloud/get-space-read-state-user-cred.js [View on GitHub](https://github.com/googleworkspace/node-samples/blob/main/chat/client-libraries/cloud/get-space-read-state-user-cred.js)

```javascript
import {createClientWithUserCredentials} from './authentication-utils.js';

const USER_AUTH_OAUTH_SCOPES = [
  'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/chat.users.readstate.readonly',
];

// This sample shows how to get the space read state for the calling user
async function main() {
  // Create a client
  const chatClient = await createClientWithUserCredentials(
    USER_AUTH_OAUTH_SCOPES,
  );

  // Initialize request argument(s)
  const request = {
    // Replace SPACE_NAME here
    name: 'users/me/spaces/SPACE_NAME/spaceReadState',
  };

  // Make the request
  const response = await chatClient.getSpaceReadState(request);

  // Handle the response
  console.log(response);
}

await main();
```

To run this sample, replace `SPACE_NAME` with the ID from
the space's
[`name`](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference/rpc/google.chat.v1#google.chat.v1.Space.FIELDS.string.google.chat.v1.Space.name).
You can obtain the ID by calling the
[`ListSpaces()`](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference/rpc/google.chat.v1#google.chat.v1.ChatService.ListSpaces)
method or from the space's URL.

The Google Chat API gets the specified space read state and returns
an instance of
[`SpaceReadState`](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/api/reference/rpc/google.chat.v1#google.chat.v1.SpaceReadState).

## Related topics

- [Update the calling user's space read state](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/update-space-read-state).
- [Get the calling user's thread read state](https://developers.google.com/workspace/chat/get-thread-read-state).