---
title: "Service: /groups/{group}/search/predicate [GET]"
source: https://dev.pageseeder.com/api/services/group-search-predicate_get.html
description: "Search a single group using Lucene predicate syntax. Supports pagination, faceting, field sorting, and customizable result formatting. Requires guest-level permissions unless group is public."
last_updated: 2026-09-08T11:44:34+10:00
document_type: api_endpoint
operation_id: search-GET
resource_id: search
path_template: /groups/{group}/search/predicate
http_method: GET
api_category: search
implementation_version: null
api_since: 5.9400
deprecated_since: null
obsolete_since: null
api_support: supported
cache_control: null
generated_at: 2026-09-02
tokens: ~559
---

# /groups/\{group\}/search/predicate \[GET\]

## Description

Search a single group by predicate.

The parameters used for a predicate query are predicate and defaultfield. The predicate specified must be parseable by the Lucene classic parser. See [http://lucene.apache.org/core/5\_2\_1/queryparser/org/apache/lucene/queryparser/classic/package-summary.html](http://lucene.apache.org/core/5_2_1/queryparser/org/apache/lucene/queryparser/classic/package-summary.html) for more info.

For details see [Service: /groups/\{group\}/search \[GET\]](group-search_get.md).

> **Warning:** The predicate specification might change with different Lucene versions so this service shouldn't be used for production systems.

## Parameters

| Name | Description | Required | Type | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| defaultfield | The default field, only used with the predicate parameter | no | string | `pscontent` |
| facets | A comma-separated list of fields to use as facets | no | strings |  |
| facetsize | The max number of facet values to load (max 1000) | no | integer | `10` |
| fieldsize | Maximum number of characters allowed in a result field (max 10000) | no | integer | `1000` |
| page | The current page to view | no | integer | `1` |
| pagesize | How many results does a page contain | no | integer | `100` |
| predicate | The Lucene predicate, takes precedence over the question parameter | no | string |  |
| sortfields | A comma-separated list of fields to sort the results | no | strings |  |

## Permission

This service is restricted to guest and higher unless the group is accessible to public.

## Response

The XML response is:

```xml

<search>
  <query> ... </query>
  <facets> ... </facets>
  <results> ... </results>
</search>
```

For details see [Service: /groups/\{group\}/search \[GET\]](group-search_get.md).

## Error Handling

| 0x1501 | If there is an invalid group specified |
| --- | --- |
| 0x1502 | If there are no indexes selected |
| 0x1503 | If the predicate is not valid |
| 0x1504 | If a sort field cannot be used for sorting |
| 0x1505 | If the facet size specified is bigger than the global property for face size ( maxFacetSize) |
| 0x1506 | If a numeric field is specified as a facet |