openapi: 3.0.3
info:
  title: Stack Exchange Access Tokens Search API
  description: 'Public, read-mostly HTTP/JSON API spanning all 180+ Stack Exchange sites

    (Stack Overflow, Server Fault, Super User, Ask Ubuntu, Stats, Math Overflow, ...).


    All method families live under a single base URL with a uniform wrapper

    (`items`, `has_more`, `page`, `quota_max`, `quota_remaining`, `backoff`).

    Read access is unauthenticated. Write methods require OAuth 2.0 with the

    appropriate scopes (`write_access`, `private_info`, `no_expiry`).


    Most paths take a required `site` query parameter naming the target Q&A

    community (`stackoverflow`, `serverfault`, `superuser`, ...). Use `/sites`

    to enumerate the network.

    '
  version: '2.3'
  termsOfService: https://stackoverflow.com/legal/api-terms-of-use
  contact:
    name: Stack Exchange API
    url: https://api.stackexchange.com/
  license:
    name: Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 (content) / API Terms of Use
    url: https://stackoverflow.com/legal/api-terms-of-use
  x-generated-from: documentation
  x-last-validated: '2026-05-29'
servers:
- url: https://api.stackexchange.com/2.3
  description: Stack Exchange API v2.3 production endpoint
security:
- apiKey: []
tags:
- name: Search
  description: Question search — basic title-match, full-text excerpts, and advanced.
paths:
  /search:
    get:
      tags:
      - Search
      operationId: searchQuestions
      summary: Stack Exchange Search Questions
      description: Title-match search for questions.
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Site'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Key'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Filter'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Page'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/PageSize'
      - name: intitle
        in: query
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
          example: openapi
      - name: tagged
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: nottagged
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: sort
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - activity
          - votes
          - creation
          - relevance
          default: activity
      responses:
        '200':
          description: A page of matching questions.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/QuestionsResponse'
      x-microcks-operation:
        delay: 0
        dispatcher: FALLBACK
  /search/advanced:
    get:
      tags:
      - Search
      operationId: searchQuestionsAdvanced
      summary: Stack Exchange Search Questions Advanced
      description: Advanced search across question title, body, tags, and dates.
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Site'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Key'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Filter'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Page'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/PageSize'
      - name: q
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          example: openapi specification
      - name: title
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: body
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: tagged
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: nottagged
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: accepted
        in: query
        schema:
          type: boolean
      - name: answers
        in: query
        schema:
          type: integer
      - name: closed
        in: query
        schema:
          type: boolean
      - name: migrated
        in: query
        schema:
          type: boolean
      - name: notice
        in: query
        schema:
          type: boolean
      - name: views
        in: query
        schema:
          type: integer
      - name: sort
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - activity
          - votes
          - creation
          - relevance
          default: activity
      responses:
        '200':
          description: A page of matching questions.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/QuestionsResponse'
      x-microcks-operation:
        delay: 0
        dispatcher: FALLBACK
  /search/excerpts:
    get:
      tags:
      - Search
      operationId: searchExcerpts
      summary: Stack Exchange Search Excerpts
      description: Full-text excerpt search across questions and answers.
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Site'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Key'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Filter'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Page'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/PageSize'
      - name: q
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
          example: openapi specification
      - name: tagged
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      responses:
        '200':
          description: A page of search excerpts.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/QuestionsResponse'
      x-microcks-operation:
        delay: 0
        dispatcher: FALLBACK
  /similar:
    get:
      tags:
      - Search
      operationId: findSimilarQuestions
      summary: Stack Exchange Find Similar Questions
      description: Find questions similar to a candidate title.
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Site'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Key'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Filter'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/Page'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/PageSize'
      - name: title
        in: query
        required: true
        schema:
          type: string
          example: How do I parse JSON in Python?
      - name: tagged
        in: query
        schema:
          type: string
      responses:
        '200':
          description: A page of similar questions.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/QuestionsResponse'
      x-microcks-operation:
        delay: 0
        dispatcher: FALLBACK
components:
  schemas:
    Question:
      type: object
      description: A question on a Stack Exchange site.
      properties:
        question_id:
          type: integer
          example: 11227809
        title:
          type: string
          example: Why is processing a sorted array faster than processing an unsorted array?
        body:
          type: string
          description: HTML body of the question (only included via filter).
        body_markdown:
          type: string
          description: Markdown body of the question (only included via filter).
        link:
          type: string
          format: uri
          example: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/11227809
        score:
          type: integer
          example: 27000
        view_count:
          type: integer
          example: 1900000
        answer_count:
          type: integer
          example: 25
        comment_count:
          type: integer
          example: 12
        favorite_count:
          type: integer
          example: 4000
        is_answered:
          type: boolean
          example: true
        accepted_answer_id:
          type: integer
          example: 11227902
        creation_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
          example: 1338717687
        last_activity_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
          example: 1700000000
        last_edit_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
          example: 1690000000
        owner:
          $ref: '#/components/schemas/ShallowUser'
        tags:
          type: array
          items:
            type: string
          example:
          - java
          - c++
          - performance
          - cpu-architecture
          - branch-prediction
        content_license:
          type: string
          example: CC BY-SA 4.0
        protected_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
        locked_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
        closed_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
        closed_reason:
          type: string
        bounty_amount:
          type: integer
        bounty_closes_date:
          type: integer
          format: int64
    QuestionsResponse:
      allOf:
      - $ref: '#/components/schemas/Wrapper'
      - type: object
        properties:
          items:
            type: array
            items:
              $ref: '#/components/schemas/Question'
    ShallowUser:
      type: object
      description: Lightweight user reference embedded in posts and comments.
      properties:
        user_id:
          type: integer
          format: int64
          example: 22656
        user_type:
          type: string
          enum:
          - unregistered
          - registered
          - moderator
          - team_admin
          - does_not_exist
          example: registered
        display_name:
          type: string
          example: Jon Skeet
        reputation:
          type: integer
          example: 1500000
        profile_image:
          type: string
          format: uri
          example: https://i.sstatic.net/lLZAr.jpg?s=128
        link:
          type: string
          format: uri
          example: https://stackoverflow.com/users/22656/jon-skeet
        accept_rate:
          type: integer
          example: 92
    Wrapper:
      type: object
      description: Common envelope returned by every Stack Exchange API method.
      properties:
        backoff:
          type: integer
          description: Seconds the client MUST wait before re-querying this same method. Returned when the API has identified the consumer as expensive.
          example: 0
        error_id:
          type: integer
          description: Numeric error code when the response is an error.
        error_message:
          type: string
          description: Human-readable error message.
        error_name:
          type: string
          description: Stable error name (e.g. `throttle_violation`).
        has_more:
          type: boolean
          description: True when more pages exist past the returned `page`.
          example: true
        page:
          type: integer
          description: Page number echoed from the request.
          example: 1
        page_size:
          type: integer
          description: Page size echoed from the request.
          example: 30
        quota_max:
          type: integer
          description: Daily quota for the IP/key combination.
          example: 10000
        quota_remaining:
          type: integer
          description: Quota left after this request.
          example: 9999
        total:
          type: integer
          description: Total count when the consumer requested it via filter.
        type:
          type: string
          description: Type name of the items returned.
      required:
      - has_more
      - quota_max
      - quota_remaining
  parameters:
    Key:
      name: key
      in: query
      required: false
      description: App key from stackapps.com. Raises the daily quota to 10,000/IP.
      schema:
        type: string
        example: example_app_key_abcdef
    Site:
      name: site
      in: query
      required: true
      description: Target Q&A community. Either the api_site_parameter from a `/sites` entry (e.g. `stackoverflow`, `serverfault`, `superuser`) or a full domain (`stackoverflow.com`).
      schema:
        type: string
        default: stackoverflow
        example: stackoverflow
    PageSize:
      name: pagesize
      in: query
      required: false
      description: Items per page (max 100).
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 1
        maximum: 100
        default: 30
        example: 30
    Page:
      name: page
      in: query
      required: false
      description: 1-indexed page number.
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 1
        default: 1
        example: 1
    Filter:
      name: filter
      in: query
      required: false
      description: Custom response filter id created via /filters/create.
      schema:
        type: string
        example: default
  securitySchemes:
    oauth2:
      type: oauth2
      description: 'OAuth 2.0 explicit or implicit flow. Apps register on stackapps.com.

        Read methods do not require auth; write methods require `write_access`.

        `private_info` is needed for /me/notifications, /me/inbox, and similar

        private surfaces. `no_expiry` issues tokens that never expire.

        '
      flows:
        authorizationCode:
          authorizationUrl: https://stackoverflow.com/oauth
          tokenUrl: https://stackoverflow.com/oauth/access_token
          scopes:
            read_inbox: Access the authenticated user's inbox.
            no_expiry: Issue a token that never expires.
            write_access: Vote, post, comment, flag, accept on the user's behalf.
            private_info: Access endpoints that return personal information.
    apiKey:
      type: apiKey
      in: query
      name: key
      description: 'Optional app key. Sending a key raises the daily quota from 300 to 10,000

        requests per IP and is the recommended default for any non-trivial client.

        '