---
method: POST
path: /api/collections/preview
auth: jwt
area: collections
---
<!-- source: internal/handlers/collections.go:1241 CollectionHandler.PreviewCollection -->

# Preview Collection

Previews which books would match a set of rules without saving.

## Example request

```json example-request
{
  "library_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
  "rules": [],
  "manual_book_ids": [],
  "limit": 20
}
```

## Example response

```json example-response
{
  "items": []
}
```

## Fields

| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
| ----- | ---- | -------- | ----- |
| library_id | string (uuid) | Yes | Library to preview against |
| rules | array | No | Rule objects |
| manual_book_ids | array of string (uuid) | No | Manually included books |
| limit | int | No | Max items (default 20) |

## Errors

| Status | Body | When |
| ------ | ---- | ---- |
| 400 | `{"error": "Invalid request"}` / `{"error": "invalid library_id"}` / `{"error": "library not found"}` | malformed |
| 500 | `{"error": "..."}` | unexpected server error |