# REST API: Filtering, Locale, and Publication State

The REST API offers the ability to filter results found with its "Get entries" method.
Using optional Strapi features can provide some more filters:

# Filtering

Queries can accept a filters parameter with the following syntax:

GET /api/:pluralApiId?filters[field][operator]=value

The following operators are available:

Operator Description
$eq Equal
$ne Not equal
$lt Less than
$lte Less than or equal to
$gt Greater than
$gte Greater than or equal to
$in Included in an array
$notIn Not included in an array
$contains Contains (case-sensitive)
$notContains Does not contain (case-sensitive)
$containsi Contains
$notContainsi Does not contain
$null Is null
$notNull Is not null
$between Is between
$startsWith Starts with
$endsWith Ends with
$or Joins the filters in an "or" expression
$and Joins the filters in an "and" expression

# Find users having 'John' as first name

Example request

const qs = require('qs');
const query = qs.stringify({
  filters: {
    username: {
      $eq: 'John',
    },
  },
}, {
  encodeValuesOnly: true,
});

await request(`/api/users?${query}`);
// GET /api/users?filters[username][$eq]=John

Example response

[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "username": "John",
    "email": "john@test.com",
    "provider": "local",
    "confirmed": true,
    "blocked": false,
    "createdAt": "2021-12-03T20:08:17.740Z",
    "updatedAt": "2021-12-03T20:08:17.740Z"
  }
]

# Find multiple restaurants with ids 3, 6, 8

Example request

const qs = require('qs');
const query = qs.stringify({
  filters: {
    id: {
      $in: [3, 6, 8],
    },
  },
}, {
  encodeValuesOnly: true, // prettify url
});

await request(`/api/restaurants?${query}`);
// GET /api/restaurants?filters[id][$in][0]=3&filters[id][$in][1]=6&filters[id][$in][2]=8

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 3,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "test3",
        // ...
      }
    },
    {
      "id": 6,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "test6",
        // ...
      }
    },
    {
      "id": 8,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "test8",
        // ...
      }
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    // ...
  }
}

✋ CAUTION

By default, the filters can only be used from find endpoints generated by the Content-Type Builder and the CLI.

# Complex filtering

Complex filtering is combining multiple filters utilizing advanced methods such as combining $and & $or. This allows for more flexibility to request exactly the data needed.

Example request: Find books with 2 possible dates & a specific author

const qs = require('qs');
const query = qs.stringify({
  filters: {
    $or: [
      {
        date: {
          $eq: '2020-01-01',
        },
      },
      {
        date: {
          $eq: '2020-01-02',
        },
      },
    ],
    author: {
      name: {
        $eq: 'Kai doe',
      },
    },
  },
}, {
  encodeValuesOnly: true,
});

await request(`/api/books?${query}`);
// GET /api/books?filters[$or][0][date][$eq]=2020-01-01&filters[$or][1][date][$eq]=2020-01-02&filters[author][name][$eq]=Kai%20doe

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "test1",
        "date": "2020-01-01",
        // ...
      }
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "test2",
        "date": "2020-01-02",
        // ...
      }
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    // ...
  }
}

# Deep filtering

Deep filtering is filtering on a relation's fields.

Example request: Find restaurants owned by a chef who belongs to a 5-star restaurant

const qs = require('qs');
const query = qs.stringify({
  filters: {
    chef: {
      restaurants: {
        stars: {
          $eq: 5,
        },
      },
    },
  },
}, {
  encodeValuesOnly: true,
});

await request(`/api/restaurants?${query}`);
// GET /api/restaurants?filters[chef][restaurants][stars][$eq]=5

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "GORDON RAMSAY STEAK",
        "stars": 5
        // ...
      }
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "attributes": {
        "name": "GORDON RAMSAY BURGER",
        "stars": 5
        // ...
      }
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    // ...
  }
}

✋ CAUTION

  • 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 the query.
  • Deep filtering isn't available for polymorphic relations (eg: Dynamic Zones & Media Fields).

✏️ NOTE

  • Relations, media fields, components, and dynamic zones are not populated by default. Use the populate parameter to populate these data structures (see population documentation)
  • It is not possible to filter on dynamic zones or media fields

# Locale

PREREQUISITES

The locale API parameter can be used to get entries from a specific locale.

# Publication State

PREREQUISITES

The Draft & Publish feature should be enabled.

Queries can accept a publicationState parameter to fetch entries based on their publication state:

  • live: returns only published entries (default)
  • preview: returns both draft entries & published entries

Example request: Get both published and draft articles

const qs = require('qs');
const query = qs.stringify({
  publicationState: 'preview',
}, {
  encodeValuesOnly: true,
});

await request(`/api/articles?${query}`);
// GET /api/articles?publicationState=preview

Example response

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 1,
      "attributes": {
        "title": "This a Draft",
        "publishedAt": null
        // ...
      }
    },
    {
      "id": 2,
      "attributes": {
        "title": "This is Live",
        "publishedAt": "2021-12-03T20:08:17.740Z"
        // ...
      }
    }
  ],
  "meta": {
    // ...
  }
}

💡 TIP

To retrieve only draft entries, combine the preview publication state and the publishedAt fields:

GET /api/articles?publicationState=preview&filters[publishedAt][$null]=true

Example using qs 
const qs = require('qs');
const query = qs.stringify({
  publicationState: 'preview',
  filters: {
    publishedAt: {
      $null: true,
    },
  },
}, {
  encodeValuesOnly: true,
});

await request(`/api/articles?${query}`);
// GET /api/articles?publicationState=preview&filters[publishedAt][$null]=true

← Population & Field Selection →