Notion Block Types Reference

Notion Block Types Reference

This document provides comprehensive documentation for all supported block types in the Notion API.

Block Structure

Every block contains these common fields:

{
  "object": "block",
  "id": "uuid",
  "type": "block_type",
  "parent": {"type": "page_id", "page_id": "..."},
  "created_time": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "last_edited_time": "2024-01-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "created_by": {"object": "user", "id": "..."},
  "last_edited_by": {"object": "user", "id": "..."},
  "archived": false,
  "in_trash": false,
  "has_children": false,
  "{type}": { /* type-specific properties */ }
}

Text Blocks

Paragraph

{
  "type": "paragraph",
  "paragraph": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Paragraph text"}}],
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Supports children (nested blocks).

Headings

{
  "type": "heading_1",
  "heading_1": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Heading 1"}}],
    "color": "default",
    "is_toggleable": false
  }
}

Types: heading_1, heading_2, heading_3

When is_toggleable: true, headings can contain children.

Quote

{
  "type": "quote",
  "quote": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Quote text"}}],
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Supports children.

Callout

{
  "type": "callout",
  "callout": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Callout text"}}],
    "icon": {"type": "emoji", "emoji": "💡"},
    "color": "gray_background"
  }
}

Supports children. Icon can be emoji or file.

Code

{
  "type": "code",
  "code": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "const x = 1;"}}],
    "caption": [],
    "language": "javascript"
  }
}

Supported languages: abap, arduino, bash, basic, c, clojure, coffeescript, cpp, csharp, css, dart, diff, docker, elixir, elm, erlang, flow, fortran, fsharp, gherkin, glsl, go, graphql, groovy, haskell, html, java, javascript, json, julia, kotlin, latex, less, lisp, livescript, lua, makefile, markdown, markup, matlab, mermaid, nix, objective-c, ocaml, pascal, perl, php, plain text, powershell, prolog, protobuf, python, r, reason, ruby, rust, sass, scala, scheme, scss, shell, sql, swift, typescript, vb.net, verilog, vhdl, visual basic, webassembly, xml, yaml, java/c/c++/c#

Equation

{
  "type": "equation",
  "equation": {
    "expression": "E = mc^2"
  }
}

Uses LaTeX/KaTeX syntax.

List Blocks

Bulleted List Item

{
  "type": "bulleted_list_item",
  "bulleted_list_item": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "List item"}}],
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Supports children (nested list items).

Numbered List Item

{
  "type": "numbered_list_item",
  "numbered_list_item": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "List item"}}],
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Supports children.

To-Do

{
  "type": "to_do",
  "to_do": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Task"}}],
    "checked": false,
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Supports children.

Toggle

{
  "type": "toggle",
  "toggle": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Toggle header"}}],
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Supports children (the toggle content).

Media Blocks

Image

{
  "type": "image",
  "image": {
    "type": "external",
    "external": {"url": "https://example.com/image.png"},
    "caption": []
  }
}

Or for uploaded files:

{
  "type": "image",
  "image": {
    "type": "file",
    "file": {"url": "https://...", "expiry_time": "..."},
    "caption": []
  }
}

Supported formats: .bmp, .gif, .heic, .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .svg, .tif, .tiff

Video

{
  "type": "video",
  "video": {
    "type": "external",
    "external": {"url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=..."},
    "caption": []
  }
}

Supported formats: .mp4, .mov, .avi, .mkv, .wmv, plus YouTube links

Audio

{
  "type": "audio",
  "audio": {
    "type": "external",
    "external": {"url": "https://example.com/audio.mp3"},
    "caption": []
  }
}

Supported formats: .mp3, .wav, .ogg, .oga, .m4a

File

{
  "type": "file",
  "file": {
    "type": "external",
    "external": {"url": "https://example.com/doc.pdf"},
    "caption": [],
    "name": "Document.pdf"
  }
}

PDF

{
  "type": "pdf",
  "pdf": {
    "type": "external",
    "external": {"url": "https://example.com/document.pdf"},
    "caption": []
  }
}

Bookmark

{
  "type": "bookmark",
  "bookmark": {
    "url": "https://example.com",
    "caption": []
  }
}

Embed

{
  "type": "embed",
  "embed": {
    "url": "https://example.com/embed",
    "caption": []
  }
}

Note: Embed rendering may differ from Notion app due to lack of iFramely integration.

Link Preview

{
  "type": "link_preview",
  "link_preview": {
    "url": "https://example.com"
  }
}

Read-only - cannot be created via API.

Structural Blocks

Divider

{
  "type": "divider",
  "divider": {}
}

Table of Contents

{
  "type": "table_of_contents",
  "table_of_contents": {
    "color": "default"
  }
}

Breadcrumb

{
  "type": "breadcrumb",
  "breadcrumb": {}
}

Column List and Column

{
  "type": "column_list",
  "column_list": {}
}

Column list contains column children:

{
  "type": "column",
  "column": {}
}

Columns contain actual content blocks. Note: Column list must have at least 2 columns.

Table

{
  "type": "table",
  "table": {
    "table_width": 3,
    "has_column_header": true,
    "has_row_header": false
  }
}

Table contains table_row children:

{
  "type": "table_row",
  "table_row": {
    "cells": [
      [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Cell 1"}}],
      [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Cell 2"}}],
      [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Cell 3"}}]
    ]
  }
}

Note: table_width can only be set at creation, not updated later.

Special Blocks

Child Page

{
  "type": "child_page",
  "child_page": {
    "title": "Page Title"
  }
}

Read-only - use Create Page endpoint to create pages.

Child Database

{
  "type": "child_database",
  "child_database": {
    "title": "Database Title"
  }
}

Read-only - use Create Database endpoint to create databases.

Synced Block

Original synced block:

{
  "type": "synced_block",
  "synced_block": {
    "synced_from": null
  }
}

Reference to synced block:

{
  "type": "synced_block",
  "synced_block": {
    "synced_from": {
      "type": "block_id",
      "block_id": "original-block-id"
    }
  }
}

Note: API doesn't support updating synced block content.

Template (Deprecated)

{
  "type": "template",
  "template": {
    "rich_text": [{"type": "text", "text": {"content": "Template button"}}]
  }
}

Deprecated as of March 27, 2023 - use database templates instead.

Unsupported

{
  "type": "unsupported",
  "unsupported": {}
}

Represents blocks not supported by the API.

Color Options

Available colors for blocks that support the color property:

• default
• gray, brown, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, red
• gray_background, brown_background, orange_background, yellow_background, green_background, blue_background, purple_background, pink_background, red_background

Blocks That Support Children

The following block types can contain nested blocks:

• paragraph
• bulleted_list_item
• numbered_list_item
• to_do
• toggle
• quote
• callout
• column_list (contains column children)
• column (contains content blocks)
• table (contains table_row children)
• synced_block
• template
• heading_1, heading_2, heading_3 (when is_toggleable: true)
• child_page (conceptually, via separate API calls)
• child_database (conceptually, via separate API calls)