Commit d8fcfad8 authored by Marcia Ramos's avatar Marcia Ramos

Merge branch...

Merge branch '355543-search-syntax-documentation-need-to-be-easy-to-understand-and-be-formatted' into 'master'

Resolve "Search Syntax Documentation need to be easy to understand"

See merge request gitlab-org/gitlab!84634
parents 19fc6da4 aa1d94af
......@@ -46,72 +46,9 @@ The Advanced Search can be useful in various scenarios:
may be connected to each other, so your developers need to instantly search
throughout the GitLab instance and find the code they search for.
## Use the Advanced Search syntax
## Advanced Search syntax
Elasticsearch has data for the default branch only. That means that if you go
to the repository tree and switch the branch from the default to something else,
then the **Code** tab in the search result page is served by the basic
search even if Elasticsearch is enabled.
The Advanced Search syntax supports fuzzy or exact search queries with prefixes,
boolean operators, and much more. Use the search as before and GitLab shows
you matching code from each project you have access to.
![Advanced Search](img/advanced_search_v13.10.png)
Full details can be found in the [Elasticsearch documentation](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/5.3/query-dsl-simple-query-string-query.html#_simple_query_string_syntax), but
here's a quick guide:
- Searches look for all the words in a query, in any order - for example: searching
issues for [`display bug`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=display+bug&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) and [`bug display`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+Display&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) return the same results.
- To find the exact phrase (stemming still applies), use double quotes: [`"display bug"`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=%22display+bug%22&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- To find bugs not mentioning display, use `-`: [`bug -display`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+-display&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- To find a bug in display or banner, use `|`: [`bug display | banner`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+display+%7C+banner&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- To group terms together, use parentheses: [`bug | (display +banner)`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+%7C+%28display+%2Bbanner%29&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- To match a partial word, use `*`. In this example, I want to find bugs with any 500 errors. : [`bug error 50*`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+error+50*&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- To use one of symbols above literally, escape the symbol with a preceding `\`: [`argument \-last`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=argument+%5C-last&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
## Syntax search filters
Advanced Search also supports the use of filters. The available filters are:
- `filename`: Filters by filename. You can use the glob (`*`) operator for fuzzy matching.
- `path`: Filters by path. You can use the glob (`*`) operator for fuzzy matching.
- `extension`: Filters by extension in the filename. Please write the extension without a leading dot. Exact match only.
- `blob`: Filters by Git `object ID`. Exact match only.
To use them, add them to your keyword in the format `<filter_name>:<value>` without
any spaces between the colon (`:`) and the value. When no keyword is provided, an asterisk (`*`) is used as the keyword.
Examples:
- Finding a file with any content named `search_results.rb`: [`* filename:search_results.rb`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=*+filename%3Asearch_results.rb&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- The leading asterisk (`*`) can be ignored in the case above: [`filename:search_results.rb`](https://gitlab.com/search?group_id=9970&project_id=278964&scope=blobs&search=filename%3Asearch_results.rb)
- Finding a file named `found_blob_spec.rb` with the text `CHANGELOG` inside of it: [`CHANGELOG filename:found_blob_spec.rb`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=CHANGELOG+filename%3Afound_blob_spec.rb&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding the text `EpicLinks` inside files with the `.rb` extension: [`EpicLinks extension:rb`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=EpicLinks+extension%3Arb&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding any file with the `.yaml` extension: [`extension:yaml`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=extension%3Ayaml&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding the text `Sidekiq` in a file, when that file is in a path that includes `elastic`: [`Sidekiq path:elastic`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=Sidekiq+path%3Aelastic&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding any file in a path that includes `elasticsearch`: [`path:elasticsearch`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=path%3Aelasticsearch&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding the files represented by the Git object ID `998707b421c89bd9a3063333f9f728ef3e43d101`: [`* blob:998707b421c89bd9a3063333f9f728ef3e43d101`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=false&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=*+blob%3A998707b421c89bd9a3063333f9f728ef3e43d101&group_id=9970)
- Syntax filters can be combined for complex filtering. Finding any file starting with `search` containing `eventHub` and with the `.js` extension: [`eventHub filename:search* extension:js`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=eventHub+filename%3Asearch*+extension%3Ajs&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
### Excluding filters
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/31684) in GitLab 13.3.
Filters can be inverted to **filter out** results from the result set, by prefixing the filter name with a `-` (hyphen) character, such as:
- `-filename`
- `-path`
- `-extension`
- `-blob`
Examples:
- Finding `rails` in all files but `Gemfile.lock`: [`rails -filename:Gemfile.lock`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=rails+-filename%3AGemfile.lock&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding `success` in all files excluding `.po|pot` files: [`success -filename:*.po*`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=success+-filename%3A*.po*&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding `import` excluding minified JavaScript (`.min.js`) files: [`import -extension:min.js`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=import+-extension%3Amin.js&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
- Finding `docs` for all files outside the `docs/` folder: [`docs -path:docs/`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=docs+-path%3Adocs%2F&group_id=9970&project_id=278964)
See the documentation on [Advanced Search syntax](global_search/advanced_search_syntax.md).
## Search by issue or merge request ID
......
---
stage: Enablement
group: Global Search
info: "To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments"
type: reference
---
# Advanced Search syntax **(PREMIUM)**
With [Advanced Search](../advanced_search.md), you can perform a thorough
search through your entire GitLab instance.
The Advanced Search syntax supports fuzzy or exact search queries with prefixes,
boolean operators, and much more. Advanced Search uses
[Elasticsearch's syntax](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/query-dsl-simple-query-string-query.html#simple-query-string-syntax).
WARNING:
Advanced Search searches projects' default branches only.
See query examples on the tables below and their respective expected output.
The examples link to a search on GitLab.com to help you visualize the output.
## General search
| Query example | Expected output |
|---|---|
[`“display bug”`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=%22display+bug%22&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | Returns the **exact phrase** _display bug_ (stemming still applies). |
[`bug -display`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+-display&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | Results include _bug_, and **exclude** _display_. |
[`bug \| display`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+display+%7C+banner&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | Results include _bug_ **or** _display_. |
[`bug \| (display +banner)`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+%7C+%28display+%2Bbanner%29&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | Results include _bug_ **or** _display_ **and** _banner_. |
| [`bug error 50*`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=issues&repository_ref=&search=bug+error+50*&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | `*` finds **partial matches**. Results include _bug_, _error_, and the partial _50_ (looking for any 500 errors, for example). |
| [`bug \-display`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=argument+%5C-last&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | `\` **scapes symbols**. Results include _bug_ **and** _-display_. |
## Code Search
| Query example | Expected output | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| [`filename:*spec.rb`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=filename%3A*spec.rb&group_id=9970&project_id=278964) | Returns the specified filename. | Use `*` for fuzzy matching. |
| [`path:spec/controllers/`](https://gitlab.com/search?group_id=9970&project_id=278964&repository_ref=&scope=blobs&search=path%3Aspec%2Fcontrollers%2F&snippets=) | Returns the specified path location of the repository. | Use `*` for fuzzy matching. |
| [`extension:js`](https://gitlab.com/search?group_id=9970&project_id=278964&repository_ref=&scope=blobs&search=extension%3Ajs&snippets=) | Returns the specified file extension. | **Do not** include a leading dot. This only works with exact matches for the extension. |
| [`blob:998707b421c89b*`](https://gitlab.com/search?snippets=false&scope=blobs&repository_ref=&search=blob%3A998707b421c89b*&group_id=9970) | Returns the specified Git object ID. | This only works with exact matches. |
## Excluding filters
Filters can also be inverted to filter out results from the result set by prefixing the filter name with a `-` (hyphen) character.
| Query example | Expected output |
|---|---|
| [`rails -filename:gemfile.lock`](https://gitlab.com/search?group_id=9970&project_id=278964&repository_ref=&scope=blobs&search=rails+-filename%3Agemfile.lock&snippets=) | Results include _`rails`_ in all files except the _`gemfile.lock`_ file. |
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