Message Search

Search messages across channels using full-text search or specific field filters. Enable or disable search indexing per channel type in the Stream Dashboard.

Searching Messages

Search requires a channel filter and either a text query or message filter conditions.

// Search for messages containing text
const results = await client.search(
  { members: { $in: ["john"] } },
  "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  { limit: 10 },
);

// Search with message filters
const filtered = await client.search(
  { members: { $in: ["john"] } },
  { text: { $autocomplete: "super" }, attachments: { $exists: true } },
  { limit: 10 },
);

val channelFilter = Filters.eq("cid", "messaging:my-channel")
val messageFilter = Filters.autocomplete("text", "supercali")

client.searchMessages(
  channelFilter = channelFilter,
  messageFilter = messageFilter,
  limit = 10,
).enqueue { result ->
  if (result is Result.Success) {
    val messages: List<Message> = result.value.messages
  } else {
    // Handle Result.Failure
  }
}

let controller = client.messageSearchController()
controller.loadNextMessages(limit: 10) { error in
  if let error = error {
    // Handle error
  } else {
    let messages = controller.messages
  }
}

var searchResult = Message.search()
  .filterCondition("text", condition)
  .query("supercalifragilisticexpialidocious")
  .limit(10)
  .request();

channel_filters = {"cid": "messaging:my-channel"}
message_filters = {"text": {"$autocomplete": "supercali"}}

page1 = client.search(
  channel_filters,
  message_filters,
  sort=[{"relevance": -1}, {"updated_at": 1}],
  limit=10
)

channel_filters = { cid: 'messaging:my-channel' }
message_filters = { text: { '$autocomplete': 'supercali' }}

page1 = client.search(
  channel_filters,
  message_filters,
  sort: [{ relevance: -1 }, { updated_at: 1 }],
  limit: 10
)

$response = $serverClient->search(
  $filters,
  'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious',
  ['limit' => 10]
);

resp, err := client.Search(ctx, SearchRequest{
  Query: "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  Filters: map[string]interface{}{
    "members": map[string][]string{
      "$in": {"john"},
    },
  },
  Limit: 10,
})

var response = await messageClient.SearchAsync(SearchOptions.Default
  .WithMessageFilterConditions(new Dictionary<string, object>
  {
    {
      "members", new Dictionary<string, object>
      {
        { "$in", new[] {"john"} },
      }
    },
  })
  .WithQuery("supercalifragilisticexpialidocious")
  .WithLimit(10));

var results = await Client.LowLevelClient.MessageApi.SearchMessagesAsync(new SearchRequest
{
  FilterConditions = new Dictionary<string, object>
  {
    {
      "members", new Dictionary<string, object>
      {
        { "$in", new[] { "John" } }
      }
    }
  },
  Query = "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  Limit = 30
});

foreach (var searchResult in results.Results)
{
  Debug.Log(searchResult.Message.Id);
  Debug.Log(searchResult.Message.Text);
  Debug.Log(searchResult.Message.User);
  Debug.Log(searchResult.Message.Channel);
}

Query Parameters

Name	Type	Description	Default	Optional
filter_conditions	object	Channel filters. Maximum 500 channels are searched. See Querying Channels.	-
message_filter_conditions	object	Message filters. See Message Filter Conditions below. Either this or `query` is required.	-	✓
query	string	Full-text search string. Equivalent to `{text: {$q: <query>}}`. Either this or `message_filter_conditions` is required.	-	✓
limit	integer	Number of messages to return.	100	✓
offset	integer	Pagination offset. Cannot be used with `sort` or `next`.	0	✓
sort	object/array	Sort order. Use field names with `1` (ascending) or `-1` (descending).	[{relevance: -1}, {id: 1}]	✓
next	string	Pagination cursor. See Pagination below.	-	✓

Message Filter Conditions

Field	Description	Operators
id	Message ID	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
text	Message text	$q, $autocomplete, $eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
type	Message type. System and deleted messages are excluded	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
parent_id	Parent message ID (for replies)	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
reply_count	Number of replies	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
attachments	Whether message has attachments	$exists, $eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
attachments.type	Attachment type	$eq, $in
mentioned_users.id	Mentioned user ID	$contains
user.id	Sender user ID	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
created_at	Creation timestamp	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
updated_at	Update timestamp	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in
pinned	Whether message is pinned	$eq
custom field	Any custom field on the message	$eq, $gt, $gte, $lt, $lte, $in

Sorting

Results are sorted by relevance by default, with message ID as a tiebreaker. If your query does not use $q or $autocomplete, all results are equally relevant.

Sort by any filterable field, including custom fields. Numeric custom fields are sorted numerically; string fields are sorted lexicographically.

Pagination

Two pagination methods are available:

Offset pagination allows access to up to 1,000 results. Results are sorted by relevance and message ID. You cannot use custom sorting with offset pagination.

Cursor pagination (using next/previous) allows access to all matching results with custom sorting. The response includes next and previous cursors to navigate between pages.

const channelFilters = { cid: "messaging:my-channel" };
const messageFilters = { text: { $autocomplete: "supercali" } };

// First page with custom sorting
const page1 = await client.search(channelFilters, messageFilters, {
  sort: [{ relevance: -1 }, { updated_at: 1 }, { my_custom_field: -1 }],
  limit: 10,
});

// Next page using cursor
const page2 = await client.search(channelFilters, messageFilters, {
  limit: 10,
  next: page1.next,
});

// Previous page
const page1Again = await client.search(channelFilters, messageFilters, {
  limit: 10,
  next: page2.previous,
});

val channelFilter = Filters.eq("cid", "messaging:my-channel")
val messageFilter = Filters.autocomplete("text", "supercali")
val sort = QuerySortByField.descByName<Message>("relevance")
  .descByName("updatedAt")
  .descByName("my_custom_field")

var nextPage: String? = null

client.searchMessages(
  sort = sort,
  limit = 10,
  channelFilter = channelFilter,
  messageFilter = messageFilter,
).enqueue { result ->
  if (result is Result.Success) {
    nextPage = result.value.next
    val messages: List<Message> = result.value.messages
  }
}

// Next page
var previousPage: String? = null
client.searchMessages(
  limit = 10,
  channelFilter = channelFilter,
  messageFilter = messageFilter,
  next = nextPage,
).enqueue { result ->
  if (result is Result.Success) {
    previousPage = result.value.previous
    val messages: List<Message> = result.value.messages
  }
}

// Previous page
client.searchMessages(
  limit = 10,
  channelFilter = channelFilter,
  messageFilter = messageFilter,
  next = previousPage,
).enqueue { /* ... */ }

channel_filters = {"cid": "messaging:my-channel"}
message_filters = {"text": {"$autocomplete": "supercali"}}

# First page
page1 = client.search(
  channel_filters,
  message_filters,
  sort=[{"relevance": -1}, {"updated_at": 1}, {"my_custom_field": -1}],
  limit=10
)

# Next page
page2 = client.search(channel_filters, message_filters, next=page1["next"], limit=10)

# Previous page
page1_again = client.search(channel_filters, message_filters, next=page2["previous"], limit=10)

channel_filters = { cid: 'messaging:my-channel' }
message_filters = { text: { '$autocomplete': 'supercali' }}

# First page
page1 = client.search(
  channel_filters,
  message_filters,
  sort: [{ relevance: -1 }, { updated_at: 1 }, { my_custom_field: -1 }],
  limit: 10
)

# Next page
page2 = client.search(channel_filters, message_filters, next: page1.next, limit: 10)

# Previous page
page1_again = client.search(channel_filters, message_filters, next: page2.previous, limit: 10)

var searchResult = Message.search()
  .filterCondition("text", condition)
  .query("supercalifragilisticexpialidocious")
  .limit(2)
  .request();

// Next page
var nextResult = Message.search()
  .filterCondition("text", condition)
  .query("supercalifragilisticexpialidocious")
  .sort(Sort.builder().field("relevance").direction(Sort.Direction.ASC).build())
  .sort(Sort.builder().field("updated_at").direction(Sort.Direction.DESC).build())
  .limit(2)
  .next(searchResult.getNext())
  .request();

$response = $serverClient->search(
  $filters,
  'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious',
  ['limit' => 10]
);

// Next page
$response = $serverClient->search(
  $filters,
  'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious',
  ['limit' => 10, 'next' => $response['next']]
);

resp, err := client.Search(ctx, SearchRequest{
  Query: "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  Filters: map[string]interface{}{
    "members": map[string][]string{
      "$in": {"john"},
    },
  },
  Limit: 10,
})

// Next page
client.SearchWithFullResponse(ctx, SearchRequest{
  Query: "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  Filters: map[string]interface{}{
    "members": map[string][]string{
      "$in": {"john"},
    },
  },
  Next: resp.Next,
  Limit: 10,
})

var response = await messageClient.SearchAsync(SearchOptions.Default
  .WithMessageFilterConditions(new Dictionary<string, object>
  {
    {
      "members", new Dictionary<string, object>
      {
        { "$in", new[] {"john"} },
      }
    },
  })
  .WithQuery("supercalifragilisticexpialidocious")
  .WithLimit(10));

// Next page
response = await messageClient.SearchAsync(SearchOptions.Default
  .WithMessageFilterConditions(new Dictionary<string, object>
  {
    {
      "members", new Dictionary<string, object>
      {
        { "$in", new[] {"john"} },
      }
    },
  })
  .WithQuery("supercalifragilisticexpialidocious")
  .WithLimit(10)
  .WithNext(response.Next));

// First page
var resultsPage1 = await Client.LowLevelClient.MessageApi.SearchMessagesAsync(new SearchRequest
{
  FilterConditions = new Dictionary<string, object>
  {
    {
      "members", new Dictionary<string, object>
      {
        { "$in", new[] { "John" } }
      }
    }
  },
  Query = "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  Limit = 30
});

// Next page
var resultsPage2 = await Client.MessageApi.SearchMessagesAsync(new SearchRequest
{
  FilterConditions = new Dictionary<string, object>
  {
    {
      "members", new Dictionary<string, object>
      {
        { "$in", new[] { "John" } }
      }
    }
  },
  Next = resultsPage1.Next,
  Query = "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious",
  Limit = 30
});

Pinned Messages

Silent & System Messages