## Manage asset descriptions

URL: https://docs.atlan.com/product/capabilities/build-apps/sdks/python/how-tos/change-description

> Update, remove, or add descriptions to assets programmatically using the Atlan Python SDK (pyatlan).

# Change description

:::tip[There are actually two descriptions per asset]
There are actually two fields in Atlan that capture the description of an asset: `description` and `userDescription`.

In the UI, `userDescription` will take precedence. This is the field that's updated when a user updates the description through the UI.

When a system updates a description, it will populate the `description` field. This field is only shown in the UI when the `userDescription` field is empty.

The examples below therefore all update the `description` field, to allow a user to still override this value through the UI. If you want to actually override any users' descriptions, however, replace `description` in the examples below with `userDescription`.
:::

## Change existing asset

:::warning[Could create a new asset]
Remember that Atlan matches the provided `qualifiedName` to determine whether to [update or create the asset](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/build-your-first-metadata-workflow/llms.txt).
:::
To change a description on an existing [asset](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/build-your-first-metadata-workflow/llms.txt):

### dbt

```yaml showLineNumbers title="Change description on existing asset"
models:
 - name: TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS # (1)
 description: >- # (2)
 My new description
```

1. You must of course give the name of the object.
2. You just use the normal dbt `description` field to provide a description—no need for the `meta`.`atlan`.`attributes` structure.

### Java

```java showLineNumbers title="Change description on existing asset"
Table table = Table.updater( // (1)
 "default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV/TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS", // (2)
 "TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS") // (3)
 .description("My new description") // (4)
 .build(); // (5)
AssetMutationResponse response = table.save(client); // (6)
assert response.getUpdatedAssets().size() == 1 // (7)
```

1. Use the `updater()` helper method to create the minimal object necessary to do an update.
2. The `qualifiedName` of the object.
3. The `name` of the object.
4. Provide the new description.
5. Build the updater into an object.
6. Send the update to Atlan. Because this operation will persist the asset in Atlan, you must [provide it an `AtlanClient`](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/set-up-sdk/llms.txt) through which to connect to the tenant.
7. The response will include that single asset that was updated.

### Python

```python showLineNumbers title="Change description on existing an asset"
from pyatlan.client.atlan import AtlanClient
from pyatlan.model.assets import Table

client = AtlanClient()
table = Table.updater( # (1)
 qualified_name="default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV/TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS",
 name="TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS",
)
table.description = "My new description" # (2)
response = client.asset.save(table) # (3)
assert 1 == len(response.assets_updated(asset_type=Table)) # (4)
```

1. Use the `updater()` method to create an asset suitable for modification that is, with all the requisite attributes.
2. Provide the new description.
3. Send the update to Atlan.
4. The response should only include that single asset that was updated.

### Kotlin

```kotlin showLineNumbers title="Change description on existing asset"
val table = Table.updater( // (1)
 "default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV/TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS", // (2)
 "TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS") // (3)
 .description("My new description") // (4)
 .build() // (5)
val response = table.save(client) // (6)
assert(response.updatedAssets.size == 1) // (7)
```

1. Use the `updater()` helper method to create the minimal object necessary to do an update.
2. The `qualifiedName` of the object.
3. The `name` of the object.
4. Provide the new description.
5. Build the updater into an object.
6. Send the update to Atlan. Because this operation will persist the asset in Atlan, you must [provide it an `AtlanClient`](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/set-up-sdk/llms.txt) through which to connect to the tenant.
7. The response will include that single asset that was updated.

### Raw REST API

```json showLineNumbers title="POST /api/meta/entity/bulk"
{
 "entities": [ // (1)
 }
 ]
}
```

1. All assets must be wrapped in an `entities` array.
2. You must provide the exact type name for the asset (case-sensitive).
3. You must provide the exact name of the asset (case-sensitive).
4. You must provide the exact `qualifiedName` of the asset (case-sensitive).
5. Provide the new description.

## Remove from existing asset

To remove a description from an existing asset:

### dbt

It's currently not possible to _remove_ a description from an asset via dbt.

### Java

```java showLineNumbers title="Remove description from existing asset"
Table table = Table.removeDescription( // (1)
 client, // (2)
 "default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV/TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS", // (3)
 "TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS"); // (4)
```

1. Use the `removeDescription()` helper method, which for most objects requires a minimal set of information. This helper method will construct the necessary request, call the necessary APIs, and return with the result of the removal operation all-in-one.
2. Because this operation will directly change the asset in Atlan, you must [provide it an `AtlanClient`](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/set-up-sdk/llms.txt) through which to connect to the tenant.
3. The `qualifiedName` of the object.
4. The `name` of the object.

### Python

```python showLineNumbers title="Remove description from an existing asset"
from pyatlan.client.atlan import AtlanClient
from pyatlan.model.assets import Table

client = AtlanClient()
table = Table.updater( # (1)
 qualified_name="default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV/TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS",
 name="TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS",
)
table.description = None # (2)
response = client.asset.save(table) # (3)
assert 1 == len(response.assets_updated(asset_type=Table)) # (4)
```

1. Use the `updater()` method to create an asset suitable for modification that is, with all the requisite attributes.
2. Set the description to `None`.
3. Send the update to Atlan.
4. The response should only include that single asset that was updated (again, removing owners is an update to the asset—we'ren't deleting the asset itself).

### Kotlin

```kotlin showLineNumbers title="Remove description from existing asset"
val table = Table.removeDescription( // (1)
 client, // (2)
 "default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV/TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS", // (3)
 "TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS") // (4)
```

1. Use the `removeDescription()` helper method, which for most objects requires a minimal set of information. This helper method will construct the necessary request, call the necessary APIs, and return with the result of the removal operation all-in-one.
2. Because this operation will directly change the asset in Atlan, you must [provide it an `AtlanClient`](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/set-up-sdk/llms.txt) through which to connect to the tenant.
3. The `qualifiedName` of the object.
4. The `name` of the object.

### Raw REST API

```json showLineNumbers title="POST /api/meta/entity/bulk"
{
 "entities": [ // (1)
 }
 ]
}
```

1. All assets must be wrapped in an `entities` array.
2. You must provide the exact type name for the asset (case-sensitive).
3. You must provide the exact name of the asset (case-sensitive).
4. You must provide the exact `qualifiedName` of the asset (case-sensitive).
5. You must set the `description` to `null`.

## When creating asset

To add a description when creating an asset:

### dbt

```yaml showLineNumbers title="Add description when creating an asset"
models:
 - name: TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS # (1)
 description: >- # (2)
 My description of the asset
```

1. You must of course give the name of the object.
2. You just use the normal dbt `description` field to provide a description—no need for the `meta`.`atlan`.`attributes` structure.

### Java

```java showLineNumbers title="Add description when creating asset"
Table table = Table
 .creator("TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS", // (1)
 "default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV")
 .description("My description of the asset") // (2)
 .build(); // (3)
AssetMutationResponse response = table.save(client); // (4)
assert response.getCreatedAssets().size() == 1 // (5)
```

1. Use the `creator()` method to initialize the object with all necessary attributes for creating it (../advanced-examples/create.md#build-minimal-object-needed).
2. Set the description that should be added.
3. Call the `build()` method to build the enriched object.
4. Call the `save()` method to actually create the asset with this description. Because this operation will persist the asset in Atlan, you must [provide it an `AtlanClient`](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/set-up-sdk/llms.txt) through which to connect to the tenant.
5. The response will include that single asset that was created.

### Python

```python showLineNumbers title="Add description when creating asset"
from pyatlan.client.atlan import AtlanClient
from pyatlan.model.assets import Table

client = AtlanClient()
table = Table.creator( # (1)
 name="TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS",
 schema_qualified_name="default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV",
)
table.description = "My description of the asset" # (2)
response = client.asset.save(table) # (3)
assert 1 == len(assets_created := response.assets_created(asset_type=Table)) # (4)
table = assets_created[0] # (5)
```

1. Use the `creator()` method to initialize the object with all necessary attributes for creating it.
2. Set the description.
3. Call the `save()` method to actually create the asset with these owners.
4. Since a save can add, update, delete or partially update multiple assets the `assets_created()` method can be used to return a list of the assets of the specified type that were added. The assert statement is present to make sure a `Table` asset was created.
5. Since only one `Table` has been created we use an index of 0 to retrieve the newly created table.

### Kotlin

```kotlin showLineNumbers title="Add description when creating asset"
val table = Table
 .creator("TOP_BEVERAGE_USERS", // (1)
 "default/snowflake/1657037873/SAMPLE_DB/FOOD_BEV")
 .description("My description of the asset") // (2)
 .build() // (3)
val response = table.save(client) // (4)
assert(response.createdAssets.size == 1) // (5)
```

1. Use the `creator()` method to initialize the object with all necessary attributes for creating it (../advanced-examples/create.md#build-minimal-object-needed).
2. Set the description that should be added.
3. Call the `build()` method to build the enriched object.
4. Call the `save()` method to actually create the asset with this description. Because this operation will persist the asset in Atlan, you must [provide it an `AtlanClient`](https://docs.atlan.com/llms/platform/python/set-up-sdk/llms.txt) through which to connect to the tenant.
5. The response will include that single asset that was created.

### Raw REST API

```json showLineNumbers title="POST /api/meta/entity/bulk"
{
 "entities": [ // (1)
 },
 "description": "My description of the asset" // (6)
 }
 }
 ]
}
```

1. All assets must be wrapped in an `entities` array.
2. You must provide the exact type name for the asset (case-sensitive).
3. You must provide a name for the asset.
4. In the case of a table, the `qualifiedName` must be the concatenation of the parent schema's qualifiedName and the name of the table.
5. When creating a table, you must specify the schema to create it within. This is defined by the `atlanSchema` attribute. You must specify both the type (must be `Schema`) and qualifiedName of the schema within the `atlanSchema` attribute—and the schema must already exist.
6. Provide the description.

---