> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lantern.is/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# properties

> Access custom customer properties and attributes stored on customer accounts.

## Syntax

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Liquid">
    ```liquid theme={null}
    customer.metafields.lantern.properties
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Description

The `properties` metafield contains custom customer properties and attributes collected through forms, surveys, or API calls. This is a JSON object where keys are property handles and values are the customer's responses.

<Info>
  The properties metafield contains JSON data that must be parsed using Liquid's `parse_json` filter before accessing individual properties.
</Info>

## Properties

**Type:** `JSON Object`
**Namespace:** `lantern`

## Return Values

| Scenario                   | Value               | Type        |
| -------------------------- | ------------------- | ----------- |
| Customer has properties    | Properties object   | JSON Object |
| Customer has no properties | `{}` (empty object) | JSON Object |
| Logged out                 | `null`              | null        |

## Object Structure

The properties object is a key-value store where each key represents a property handle.

* Keys: property handles such as `favorite_category`, `vip_status`, or `birthday`
* Values: `string | number | boolean` depending on how the property was defined

## Examples

### Basic Properties Display

```liquid theme={null}
{% assign properties_data = customer.metafields.lantern.properties %}
{% if properties_data %}
  {% assign properties = properties_data | parse_json %}
  
  {% if properties.birthday %}
    <p>Birthday: {{ properties.birthday | date: '%B %d' }}</p>
  {% endif %}
  
  {% if properties.vip_status == 'true' %}
    <span class="vip-badge">VIP Member</span>
  {% endif %}
{% endif %}
```

### Check for Specific Property

```liquid theme={null}
{% assign properties_data = customer.metafields.lantern.properties %}
{% if properties_data %}
  {% assign properties = properties_data | parse_json %}
  
  {% if properties.favorite_category %}
    <p>Favorite Category: {{ properties.favorite_category }}</p>
  {% endif %}
{% endif %}
```