Comprehensive Guide to GitHub Search Syntax and Techniques

GitHub's search functionality goes beyond simple keyword matching and supports a rich set of qualifiers and sorting options.

The information below is based on the official GitHub documentation (https://docs.github.com/en).

2. Sorting Search Results

2.1. Sort by Interactions

Syntax

Example

org:github sort:interactions

Match issues in GitHub-owned repositories and sort by the highest combined number of reactions and comments.

org:github sort:interactions-asc

Match issues in GitHub-owned repositories and sort by the lowest combined number of reactions and comments.

2.2. Sort by Reactions

Syntax

Example

org:github sort:reactions

Match issues in GitHub-owned repositories and sort by the highest number of reactions.

org:github sort:reactions-asc

Sort by reaction count in ascending order (fewest to most).

org:github sort:reactions-+1

Sort by the most +1 (👍) reactions.

org:github sort:reactions--1

Sort by the most -1 (👎) reactions.

org:github sort:reactions-smile

Sort by the most smile (😄) reactions.

org:github sort:reactions-tada

Sort by the most celebration (🎉) reactions.

org:github sort:reactions-heart

Sort by the most heart (❤️) reactions.

2.3. Sort by Author Date

Syntax

Example

org:github sort:author-date feature

Match commits containing the word "feature" and sort by author date descending.

org:github sort:author-date-asc feature

Match commits containing the word "feature" and sort by author date ascending.

2.4. Sort by Committer Date

Syntax

Example

org:github sort:committer-date

Match commits containing the word "feature" and sort by committer date descending.

org:github sort:committer-date-asc

Match commits containing the word "feature" and sort by committer date ascending.

2.5. Sort by Updated Date

Syntax

Example

sort:updated feature

Match repositories containing "feature" and sort by most recent update.

sort:updated-asc feature

Match repositories containing "feature" and sort by oldest update first.

3. Search Scope

3.1. Search Repositories

3.1.1. By Repository Name, Description, or README

Syntax

Example

in:name jquery

Match repositories with "jquery" in the name.

in:description jquery

Match repositories with "jquery" in the description.

in:readme jquery

Match repositories whose README mentions "jquery".

3.1.2. Within a User or Organization's Repositories

Syntax

Example

user:defunkt forks:>100

Match repositories owned by user "defunkt" with more than 100 forks.

3.1.3. By Repository Size

Syntax

Example

size:1000

Match repositories of exactly 1 MB.

size:>=30000

Match repositories of at least 30 MB.

size:<50

Match repositories smaller than 50 KB.

size:50…120

Match repositories between 50 KB and 120 KB.

3.1.4. By Fork Count

Syntax

Example

forks:5

Match repositories with exactly five forks.

forks:>=205

Match repositories with at least 205 forks.

forks:<90

Match repositories with fewer than 90 forks.

forks:10…20

Match repositories with 10 to 20 forks.

3.1.5. By Star Count

Syntax

Example

stars:500

Match repositories with exactly 500 stars.

stars:10…20

Match repositories with 10 to 20 stars.

stars:>=500 fork:true language:php

Match repositories with at least 500 stars, that are forks, and written in PHP.

3.1.6. By Creation or Last Update Time

Syntax

Example

webos created:<2011-01-01

Match repositories containing "webos" created before 2011.

css push:>2013-02-01

Match repositories containing "css" pushed after February 1 2013.

case push:>=2013-03-06 fork:only

Match repositories containing "case" pushed on or after March 6 2013 that are forks.

3.1.7. By Language

Syntax

Example

rails language:javascript

Match repositories with the word "rails" written in JavaScript.

3.1.8. By Topic

Syntax

Example

topic:jekyll

Match repositories classified under the topic "jekyll".

3.1.9. By Number of Topics

Syntax

Example

topic:5

Match repositories with exactly five topics.

topic:>3

Match repositories with more than three topics.

3.1.10. By License

Syntax

Example

license:apache-2.0

Match repositories licensed under Apache 2.0.

3.1.11. By Repository Visibility

Syntax

Example

is:public org:github

Match public repositories owned by GitHub.

is:internal test

Match internal repositories you can access that contain the word "test".

is:private pages

Match private repositories you can access that contain the word "pages".

3.1.12. By Mirror Status

Syntax

Example

mirror:true GNOME

Match repositories that are mirrors and contain "GNOME".

mirror:false GNOME

Match repositories that are not mirrors but contain "GNOME".

3.2. Search Topics

3.2.1. Narrow Search with Topic Qualifiers

Syntax

Example

is:curated javascript

Match curated topics that contain "javascript".

is:featured javascript

Match featured topics on https://github.com/topics/ that contain "javascript".

is:not-curated javascript

Match topics without extra info (e.g., description or logo) that contain "javascript".

is:not-featured javascript

Match topics that are not featured and contain "javascript".

repositories:>5000

Match topics with more than 5 000 repositories.

3.3. Search Code

3.3.1. By File Content or Path

Syntax

Example

octocat in:file

Match code where the file content contains "octocat".

octocat in:path

Match code where the file path contains "octocat".

3.3.2. In a User or Organization's Repositories

Syntax

Example

user:defunkt extension:rb

Match Ruby files (.rb) in repositories owned by @defunkt.

org:github extension:js

Match JavaScript files (.js) in repositories owned by GitHub.

repo:mozilla/shumway extension:as

Match ActionScript files (.as) in the Mozilla/Shumway project.

3.3.3. By Language

Syntax

Example

element language:xml size:100

Match XML files of exactly 100 bytes containing the word "element".

display language:scss

Match SCSS code containing the word "display".

org:mozilla language:markdown

Match Markdown code in any Mozilla repository.

3.3.4. By File Size

Syntax

Example

function size:>10000 language:python

Match Python files larger than 10 KB that contain the word "function".

3.3.5. By Filename

Syntax

Example

filename:linguist

Match files named "linguist".

filename:.vimrc commands

Match .vimrc files that contain the word "commands".

3.4. Search Users

3.4.1. By Account Name, Full Name, or Public Email

Syntax

Example

user:octocat

Match a user with the username "octocat".

org:electron type:users

Match accounts belonging to the Electron organization.

kenya in:login

Match users whose login contains "kenya".

bolton in:name

Match users whose real name contains "bolton".

fullname:Nat Friedman

Match a user with the full name "Nat Friedman" (space‑sensitive).

data in:email

Match users whose public email contains "data".

3.4.2. By Number of Repositories Owned

Syntax

Example

repos:>9000

Match users with more than 9 000 repositories.

bert repos:10…30

Match users whose name or real name contains "bert" and who own 10 to 30 repositories.

3.4.3. By Account Creation Date

Syntax

Example

created:<2011-01-01

Match users who joined before 2011.

created:>=2013-05-11

Match users who joined on or after May 11 2013.

created:2013-03-06 location:london

Match users who joined on March 6 2013 and list London as their location.

created:2010-01-01…2011-01-01 john in:login

Match users who joined between 2010 and 2011 and have "john" in their username.

3.4.4. By Follower Count

Syntax

Example

followers:>=1000

Match users with 1 000 or more followers.

sparkle follower:1…10

Match users with 1 to 10 followers whose name contains "sparkle".

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