strapi/docs/v3.x/content-api/parameters.md

# Parameters

<!-- See the [parameter concepts](../concepts/parameters.md) for details. -->

::: warning
By default, the filters can only be used from `find` and `count` endpoints generated by the Content Type Builder and the [CLI](../cli/CLI.md).
:::

<!-- This sentance belongs in the above warning block but was removed and commented until new docs can be written -->
<!-- If you need to implement a filter system somewhere else, read the [programmatic usage](../concepts/parameters.md) section. -->

## Available operators

The available operators are separated in five different categories:

- [Filters](#filters)
- [Sort](#sort)
- [Limit](#limit)
- [Start](#start)
- [Publication State](#publication-state)

## Filters

When using filters you can either pass simple filters in the root of the query parameters or pass them in a `_where` parameter.

Filters are used as a suffix of a field name:

- No suffix or `eq`: Equals
- `ne`: Not equals
- `lt`: Less than
- `gt`: Greater than
- `lte`: Less than or equal to
- `gte`: Greater than or equal to
- `in`: Included in an array of values
- `nin`: Isn't included in an array of values
- `contains`: Contains
- `ncontains`: Doesn't contain
- `containss`: Contains case sensitive
- `ncontainss`: Doesn't contain case sensitive
- `null`: Is null/Is not null

### Examples

#### Find users having `John` as first name.

`GET /users?firstName=John`
or
`GET /users?firstName_eq=John`

#### Find restaurants having a price equal or greater than `3`.

`GET /restaurants?price_gte=3`

#### Find multiple restaurant with id 3, 6, 8.

`GET /restaurants?id_in=3&id_in=6&id_in=8`

#### Using `_where`

`GET /restaurants?_where[price_gte]=3`

`GET /restaurants?_where[0][price_gte]=3&[0][price_lte]=7`

## Complex queries

::: tip NOTE
`OR` and `AND` operations are available starting from v3.1.0
:::

When building more complex queries you must use the `_where` query parameter in combination with the [`qs`](https://github.com/ljharb/qs) library.

We are taking advantage of the capability of `qs` to parse nested objects to create more complex queries.

This will give you full power to create complex queries with logical `AND` and `OR` operations.

::: tip NOTE
We strongly recommend using `qs` directly to generate complex queries instead of creating them manually.
:::

### `AND` operator

The filtering implicitly supports the `AND` operation when specifying an array of expressions in the filtering.

**Examples**

Restaurants that have 1 `stars` and a `pricing` less than or equal to 20:

```js
const query = qs.stringify({
  _where: [{ stars: 1 }, { pricing_lte: 20 }],
});

await request(`/restaurants?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[0][stars]=1&_where[1][pricing_lte]=20
```

Restaurants that have a `pricing` greater than or equal to 20 and a `pricing` less than or equal to 50:

```js
const query = qs.stringify({
  _where: [{ pricing_gte: 20 }, { pricing_lte: 50 }],
});

await request(`/restaurants?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[0][pricing_gte]=20&_where[1][pricing_lte]=50
```

### `OR` operator

To use the `OR` operation, you will need to use the `_or` filter and specify an array of expressions on which to perform the operation.

**Examples**

Restaurants that have 1 `stars` OR a `pricing` greater than 30:

```js
const query = qs.stringify({ _where: { _or: [{ stars: 1 }, { pricing_gt: 30 }] } });

await request(`/restaurant?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[_or][0][stars]=1&_where[_or][1][pricing_gt]=30
```

Restaurants that have a `pricing` less than 10 OR greater than 30:

```js
const query = qs.stringify({ _where: { _or: [{ pricing_lt: 10 }, { pricing_gt: 30 }] } });

await request(`/restaurant?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[_or][0][pricing_lt]=10&_where[_or][1][pricing_gt]=30
```

### Implicit `OR` operator

The query engine implicitly uses the `OR` operation when you pass an array of values in an expression.

**Examples**

Restaurants that have 1 or 2 `stars`:

`GET /restaurants?stars=1&stars=2`

or

```js
const query = qs.stringify({ _where: { stars: [1, 2] } });

await request(`/restaurant?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[stars][0]=1&_where[stars][1]=2
```

::: tip NOTE
When using the `in` and `nin` filters the array is not transformed into a OR.
:::

### Combining AND and OR operators

Restaurants that have (2 `stars` AND a `pricing` less than 80) OR (1 `stars` AND a `pricing` greater than or equal to 50)

```js
const query = qs.stringify({
  _where: {
    _or: [
      [{ stars: 2 }, { pricing_lt: 80 }], // implicit AND
      [{ stars: 1 }, { pricing_gte: 50 }], // implicit AND
    ],
  },
});

await request(`/restaurants?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[_or][0][0][stars]=2&_where[_or][0][1][pricing_lt]=80&_where[_or][1][0][stars]=1&_where[_or][1][1][pricing_gte]=50
```

**This also works with deep filtering**

Restaurants that have (2 `stars` AND a `pricing` less than 80) OR (1 `stars` AND serves French food)

```js
const query = qs.stringify({
  _where: {
    _or: [
      [{ stars: 2 }, { pricing_lt: 80 }], // implicit AND
      [{ stars: 1 }, { 'categories.name': 'French' }], // implicit AND
    ],
  },
});

await request(`/restaurants?${query}`);
// GET /restaurants?_where[_or][0][0][stars]=2&_where[_or][0][1][pricing_lt]=80&_where[_or][1][0][stars]=1&_where[_or][1][1][categories.name]=French
```

::: warning
When creating nested queries, make sure the depth is less than 20 or the query string parsing will fail for now.
:::

## Deep filtering

Find restaurants owned by a chef who belongs to a restaurant with star equal to 5
`GET /restaurants?chef.restaurant.star=5`

::: warning
Querying your API with deep filters may cause performance issues.
If one of your deep filtering queries is too slow, we recommend building a custom route with an optimized version of your query.
:::

::: tip
This feature doesn't allow you to filter nested models, e.g. `Find users and only return their posts older than yesterday`.

To achieve this, there are three options:

- Build a custom route.
- Modify your services.
- Use [GraphQL](../plugins/graphql.md#query-api).
  :::

::: warning
This feature isn't available for **polymorphic** relations. This relation type is used in `media`, `component` and `dynamic zone` fields.
:::

## Sort

Sort according to a specific field.

### Example

#### Sort users by email.

- ASC: `GET /users?_sort=email:ASC`
- DESC: `GET /users?_sort=email:DESC`

#### Sorting on multiple fields

- `GET /users?_sort=email:asc,dateField:desc`
- `GET /users?_sort=email:DESC,username:ASC`

## Limit

Limit the size of the returned results.

The default limit is `100`

### Example

#### Limit the result length to 30.

`GET /users?_limit=30`

You can require the full data set by passing a limit equal to `-1`.

## Start

Skip a specific number of entries (especially useful for pagination).

### Example

#### Get the second page of results.

`GET /users?_start=10&_limit=10`

## Publication State

::: tip NOTE
This parameter can only be used on models with the **Draft & Publish** feature activated
:::

Only select entries matching the publication state provided.

Handled states are:

- `live`: Return only published entries (default)
- `preview`: Return both draft entries & published entries

### Example

#### Get published articles

`GET /articles`
OR
`GET /articles?_publicationState=live`

#### Get both published and draft articles

`GET /articles?_publicationState=preview`

::: tip NOTE
If you only want to retrieve your draft entries, you can combine the `preview` mode and the `published_at` field.
`GET /articles?_publicationState=preview&published_at_null=true`
:::