# gt-node: General Translation Node.js SDK: decodeOptions
URL: https://generaltranslation.com/en-GB/docs/node/reference/functions/decode-options.mdx
---

title: decodeOptions
description: Recover the encoded options from a General Translation encoded message. API reference for decodeOptions.

---

Decodes the options object that [`msg`](/docs/node/reference/functions/msg) embedded in an encoded message. Use it to inspect the metadata and interpolation variables carried by an encoded message.

## Overview [#overview]

Call `decodeOptions` with an encoded message. It parses and returns the options object, or `null` if the message has no encoded options or cannot be parsed.

```ts
import { msg, decodeOptions } from 'gt-node';

const encoded = msg('Hello, {name}!', { name: 'Brian' });
console.log(decodeOptions(encoded));
// { name: 'Brian', $_source: 'Hello, {name}!', $_hash: '...' }
```

Signature:

```ts
decodeOptions(encodedMsg: string): TranslationOptions | null
```

## How it works [#how-it-works]

* **Separator split.** An encoded message has the form `interpolatedContent:encodedOptions`. `decodeOptions` reads the segment after the last colon, base64-decodes it, and parses the JSON options.
* **Null result.** When the message has no colon separator, or the encoded segment cannot be parsed, it returns `null`.

## Parameters [#parameters]

| Parameter                    | Description                               | Type     | Optional | Default |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | -------- | -------- | ------- |
| [`encodedMsg`](#encoded-msg) | The encoded message to read options from. | `string` | No       | —       |

### `encodedMsg` [#encoded-msg]

**Type** `string` · **Required**

The message to decode, typically a value returned by [`msg`](/docs/node/reference/functions/msg).

## Returns [#returns]

**Type** `TranslationOptions | null`

The decoded options object, including any interpolation variables and metadata such as `$_source` and `$_hash`, or `null` when there are no options to decode.

## Examples [#examples]

```ts
import { msg, decodeOptions } from 'gt-node';

const encoded = msg('You have {count} messages', { count: 3 });
const options = decodeOptions(encoded);
console.log(options?.count); // 3

console.log(decodeOptions('Plain text')); // null
```

## Notes [#notes]

* To read the message content instead of its options, use [`decodeMsg`](/docs/node/reference/functions/decode-msg).