---
title: "DevPlace REST: Search and Type-Ahead Lookups"
description: "The JSON lookup endpoints behind mentions and the message composer: user search and content search, their single q parameter, result caps and response shapes."
language: null
framework: null
category: api_design
tags:
  - devplace
  - api
  - http-api
  - search
  - lookup
  - autocomplete
  - rest
  - json-api
  - mentions
keywords:
  - devplace GET /profile/search users query
  - devplace type-ahead mention lookup endpoint
  - devplace search json api
last_updated: 2026-08-12
difficulty: beginner
version: "DevPlace (devplace.net), documented 2026-08"
related:
  - rest_messaging.md
  - rest_profiles_and_social_graph.md
  - conventions_and_errors.md
  - authentication.md
  - README.md
search_priority: normal
status: published
---

# DevPlace REST: Search and Type-Ahead Lookups

Type-ahead lookups that power mentions and the message composer. Both return JSON and accept
a single `q` query parameter. These feed [Messaging](rest_messaging.md) (the recipient
composer) and [Profiles & Social Graph](rest_profiles_and_social_graph.md) (mentions and user pages).

Every endpoint follows the shared [Conventions & Errors](conventions_and_errors.md) (auth, content
negotiation, pagination, status codes); see [Authentication](authentication.md) for the
four ways to sign requests.

## `GET /profile/search` - Search users

Find up to ten users whose username matches a query.

*Minimal role:* Member

**Parameters**

| Name | In | Type | Required | Description |
|------|----|------|----------|-------------|
| `q` | query | string | yes | Partial username to match. |

**Sample response**

```json
{
  "results": [
    {
      "uid": "8f14e45f-...",
      "username": "alice_test"
    }
  ]
}
```

## `GET /messages/search` - Search message recipients

Like user search, but excludes yourself; used by the message composer.

*Minimal role:* Member

**Parameters**

| Name | In | Type | Required | Description |
|------|----|------|----------|-------------|
| `q` | query | string | yes | Partial username to match. |

**Sample response**

```json
{
  "results": [
    {
      "uid": "0cc175b9-...",
      "username": "bob_test"
    }
  ]
}
```