Native.request

The native ad request, as defined by the IAB Native Ads specification, serialized into a JSON-encoded string. Required. The field is a string, not a nested object.

CurrentstringRequiredSince 2.3

Field facts

Path: imp.native.request
Object: Native
Type: string
Requirement: Required
Added: OpenRTB 2.3
Spec section: 3.2.9

How it is used

Build the native request object, serialize it once, and put the resulting string here. Under Native 1.0 the decoded string is an object with a single native key that wraps the request. From Native 1.1 the decoded string is the request object itself, with ver, assets, and the other fields at its root. Buyers decode it, read the asset list, and answer with matching asset ids in the markup.

Example

Where the field sits in a payload, with everything else left out:

{
  "id": "req-1",
  "imp": [
    {
      "native": {
        "request": "{\"ver\":\"1.2\",\"context\":1,\"plcmttype\":1,\"assets\":[{\"id\":1,\"required\":1,\"title\":{\"len\":90}},{\"id\":2,\"required\":1,\"img\":{\"type\":3,\"wmin\":300,\"hmin\":157}}]}"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Common mistakes

Sending the request as a JSON object instead of a string. Strict receivers reject the impression or drop native demand.
Encoding it twice, so the decoded value is another string. The validator reports openrtb.native.request.double_encoded.
Keeping the Native 1.0 wrapper while declaring a later version. The validator reports openrtb.native.request.legacy_wrapper.
A string that does not parse as JSON at all, reported as openrtb.native.request.unparseable.

Version history

Added in OpenRTB 2.3, and present in the latest snapshot. The table shows how each version's spec text types the field.

Versions	Type in the spec	Required	Deprecated
2.3 to 2.3.1	string	Yes	No
2.4	string	Yes	No
2.5 to 2.6-202606	string	Yes	No

Versioned rules that name this field

openrtb.2.3.imp.native.request OpenRTB 2.3 added the native request payload for declaring required assets and fields.

Related fields

Other Native fields

For a walkthrough of the whole object, read Native ads.