REST API endpoints for search

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Enter a search term to find it in the GitHub Docs.

REST API endpoints for search - GitHub Enterprise Server 3.12 Docs

Use the REST API to search for specific items on GitHub Enterprise Server.

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classes.js

Searches for query terms inside of a file. This method returns up to 100 results <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/guides/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api">per page</a>.
When searching for code, you can get text match metadata for the file content and file path fields when you pass the <code>text-match</code> media type. For more details about how to receive highlighted search results, see <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#text-match-metadata">Text match metadata</a>.
For example, if you want to find the definition of the <code>addClass</code> function inside <a href="https://github.com/jquery/jquery">jQuery</a> repository, your query would look something like this:
<code>q=addClass+in:file+language:js+repo:jquery/jquery</code>
This query searches for the keyword <code>addClass</code> within a file's contents. The query limits the search to files where the language is JavaScript in the <code>jquery/jquery</code> repository.
Considerations for code search:
Due to the complexity of searching code, there are a few restrictions on how searches are performed:
<ul>
<li>Only the default branch is considered. In most cases, this will be the <code>master</code> branch.</li>
<li>Only files smaller than 384 KB are searchable.</li>
<li>You must always include at least one search term when searching source code. For example, searching for <a href="https://github.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&#x26;q=language%3Ago&#x26;type=Code"><code>language:go</code></a> is not valid, while <a href="https://github.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&#x26;q=amazing+language%3Ago&#x26;type=Code"><code>amazing language:go</code></a> is.</li>
</ul>

The query contains one or more search keywords and qualifiers. Qualifiers allow you to limit your search to specific areas of GitHub Enterprise Server. The REST API supports the same qualifiers as the web interface for GitHub Enterprise Server. To learn more about the format of the query, see <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#constructing-a-search-query">Constructing a search query</a>. See "<a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/search-github/searching-on-github/searching-code">Searching code</a>" for a detailed list of qualifiers.

Sorts the results of your query. Can only be <code>indexed</code>, which indicates how recently a file has been indexed by the GitHub Enterprise Server search infrastructure. Default: <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#ranking-search-results">best match</a>

sort

Determines whether the first search result returned is the highest number of matches (<code>desc</code>) or lowest number of matches (<code>asc</code>). This parameter is ignored unless you provide <code>sort</code>.

order

The number of results per page (max 100). For more information, see "<a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/using-the-rest-api/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api">Using pagination in the REST API</a>."

per_page

The page number of the results to fetch. For more information, see "<a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/using-the-rest-api/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api">Using pagination in the REST API</a>."

page

Validation failed, or the endpoint has been spammed.

Search code

Find commits via various criteria on the default branch (usually <code>main</code>). This method returns up to 100 results <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/guides/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api">per page</a>.
When searching for commits, you can get text match metadata for the message field when you provide the <code>text-match</code> media type. For more details about how to receive highlighted search results, see <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#text-match-metadata">Text match
metadata</a>.
For example, if you want to find commits related to CSS in the <a href="https://github.com/octocat/Spoon-Knife">octocat/Spoon-Knife</a> repository. Your query would look something like this:
<code>q=repo:octocat/Spoon-Knife+css</code>

The query contains one or more search keywords and qualifiers. Qualifiers allow you to limit your search to specific areas of GitHub Enterprise Server. The REST API supports the same qualifiers as the web interface for GitHub Enterprise Server. To learn more about the format of the query, see <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#constructing-a-search-query">Constructing a search query</a>. See "<a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/search-github/searching-on-github/searching-commits">Searching commits</a>" for a detailed list of qualifiers.

Sorts the results of your query by <code>author-date</code> or <code>committer-date</code>. Default: <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#ranking-search-results">best match</a>

Search commits

Line Number Indexes Beyond 20 Not Displayed

Find issues by state and keyword. This method returns up to 100 results <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/guides/using-pagination-in-the-rest-api">per page</a>.
When searching for issues, you can get text match metadata for the issue title, issue body, and issue comment body fields when you pass the <code>text-match</code> media type. For more details about how to receive highlighted
search results, see <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#text-match-metadata">Text match metadata</a>.
For example, if you want to find the oldest unresolved Python bugs on Windows. Your query might look something like this.
<code>q=windows+label:bug+language:python+state:open&#x26;sort=created&#x26;order=asc</code>
This query searches for the keyword <code>windows</code>, within any open issue that is labeled as <code>bug</code>. The search runs across repositories whose primary language is Python. The results are sorted by creation date in ascending order, which means the oldest issues appear first in the search results.
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For requests made by GitHub Apps with a user access token, you can't retrieve a combination of issues and pull requests in a single query. Requests that don't include the <code>is:issue</code> or <code>is:pull-request</code> qualifier will receive an HTTP <code>422 Unprocessable Entity</code> response. To get results for both issues and pull requests, you must send separate queries for issues and pull requests. For more information about the <code>is</code> qualifier, see "<a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/github/searching-for-information-on-github/searching-issues-and-pull-requests#search-only-issues-or-pull-requests">Searching only issues or pull requests</a>."
</div>

The query contains one or more search keywords and qualifiers. Qualifiers allow you to limit your search to specific areas of GitHub Enterprise Server. The REST API supports the same qualifiers as the web interface for GitHub Enterprise Server. To learn more about the format of the query, see <a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/rest/search/search#constructing-a-search-query">Constructing a search query</a>. See "<a href="https://docs.github.com/enterprise-server@3.12/search-github/searching-on-github/searching-issues-and-pull-requests">Searching issues and pull requests</a>" for a detailed list of qualifiers.

Search issues and pull requests