Getting Data In

How can I search a specific index via the API using curl?

msmapper
Path Finder

How can I search a specific index via the API using curl? When I try to use
curl -u user:pass -k -d 'search=search index="indexname" OR curl -u user:pass -k -d 'search=search index="indexname"

I get results but the following messages returned...
No Matching index found for 'index=indexname'
No mmatching index found for index::indexname

Any help would be appreciated..

Tags (4)
1 Solution

ineeman
Splunk Employee
Splunk Employee

The problem here is because your request isn't URL encoded. Specifically, your:

search index="indexname"

Needs to be URL encoded. You can easily fix this by doing:

curl -k -u admin:changeme https://localhost:8089/services/search/jobs --data-urlencode 'search=search index="_internal" | head 1'

View solution in original post

ineeman
Splunk Employee
Splunk Employee

The problem here is because your request isn't URL encoded. Specifically, your:

search index="indexname"

Needs to be URL encoded. You can easily fix this by doing:

curl -k -u admin:changeme https://localhost:8089/services/search/jobs --data-urlencode 'search=search index="_internal" | head 1'
Got questions? Get answers!

Join the Splunk Community Slack to learn, troubleshoot, and make connections with fellow Splunk practitioners in real time!

Meet up IRL or virtually!

Join Splunk User Groups to connect and learn in-person by region or remotely by topic or industry.

Get Updates on the Splunk Community!

At .conf26, Don’t Just See What’s Next. Help Shape It at Innovation Labs.

Long before a new capability reaches the keynote stage, it begins as an idea waiting to be tested. At ...

Forwarder Topology Guidance: Intermediate HF vs Intermediate UF

Why Universal Forwarders Should Not Be Used as Intermediate Forwarders A practical Splunk forwarding topology ...

Data Management Digest – August 2026

Data Management Digest   Welcome to the August 2026 edition of Data Management Digest! August was a big month ...