Run Data Explorer queries with the Discourse API

[Discourse]

This guide explains how to use the Discourse API to create, run, and manage queries with the Data Explorer plugin.

Required user level: Administrator

Virtually any action that can be performed through the Discourse user interface can also be triggered with the Discourse API.

This document provides a comprehensive overview for utilizing the API specifically in conjunction with the Data Explorer plugin.

For a general overview of how to find the correct API request for an action, see: Reverse engineer the Discourse API.

Running a Data Explorer query

To run a Data Explorer query via the API, make a POST request to /admin/plugins/explorer/queries/<query-id>/run. You can find the query ID by visiting it through your Discourse site and checking the id parameter in the address bar.

Below is an example query with an ID of 20 that returns topics by views on a specified date:

--[params]
-- date :viewed_at

SELECT
topic_id,
COUNT(1) AS views_for_date
FROM topic_views
WHERE viewed_at = :viewed_at
GROUP BY topic_id
ORDER BY views_for_date DESC

This query can be run from a terminal with:

curl -X POST "https://your-site-url/admin/plugins/explorer/queries/20/run" \
-H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data;" \
-H "Api-Key: <api-key>" \
-H "Api-Username: system" \
-F 'params={"viewed_at":"2019-06-10"}'

Note that you’ll need to replace the <api-key>, <your-site-url> with your API key and domain.

Creating a query via the API

To create a Data Explorer query via the API, you’ll need to make a POST request to /admin/plugins/explorer/queries.

You will also need to specify the query name and sql to use for the new query in the API call.

Below is an example of how to create a new query using the API:

curl -X POST "https://your-site-url/admin/plugins/explorer/queries" \
-H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data;" \
-H "Api-Key: <api-key>" \
-H "Api-Username: <username>" \
-F 'query[name]=Example Query' \
-F 'query[sql]=SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users'

This API call will return a response like:

{"query":{"id":49,"name":"Example Query","description":null,"username":"<username>","group_ids":[],"last_run_at":null,"user_id":1,"sql":"SELECT COUNT(*) FROM users","param_info":[],"created_at":"2025-03-13T18:41:44.226Z","hidden":false}}%

You can then run the query by using the query ID from the response (in this case, 49 ).

Returned results will be structured within the rows field.

Handling large datasets

The Data Explorer plugin limits results to 1000 rows by default. To paginate through larger datasets, you can use the example query below:

--[params]
-- integer :limit = 100
-- integer :page = 0
SELECT * 
FROM generate_series(1, 10000)
OFFSET :page * :limit 
LIMIT :limit

To fetch the results page-by-page, increment the page parameter in the request:

curl -X POST "https://your-site-url/admin/plugins/explorer/queries/27/run" \
-H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data;" \
-H "Api-Key: <api-key>" \
-H "Api-Username: system" \
-F 'params={"page":"0"}'

Stop when result_count is zero.

For additional information about handling large datasets, see: Result Limits and Exporting Queries

Removing relations data from the results

When Data Explorer queries are run through the user interface, a relations object is added to the results. This data is used for rendering the user in UI results, but you are unlikely to need it when running queries via the API.

To remove that data from the results, add a download=true parameter with your request:

curl -X POST "https://your-site-url/admin/plugins/explorer/queries/27/run" \
-H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data;" \
-H "Api-Key: <api-key>" \
-H "Api-Username: system" \
-F 'params={"page":"0"}' \
-F "download=true"

API authentication

Details about generating an API key for the requests can be found here: Create and configure an API key.

If the API key is only going to be used to run Data Explorer queries, you can select “Granular” from the Scope drop down menu, then select the “run queries” scope.

FAQs

Is there any api endpoint I can use to get the list of reports and the ID numbers? I want to build a dropdown with the list in it?

Yes, you can make an authenticated GET request to /admin/plugins/explorer/queries.json to get a list of all queries on the site.

Is it possible to send parameters with the post request?

Yes, include SQL parameters using the -F option, as shown in the examples.

Is CSV export for queries supported by the API?

While JSON output is standard, you can manually convert results to CSV. Native CSV export is no longer supported.

Additional resources

• Create and configure an API key
• GitHub - lee-dohm/execute-discourse-query: Executes a Discourse data-explorer query via the API
• Reverse engineer the Discourse API

[37Rb (Ryan)]

@simon

The limit=ALL support for CSV exports

This comment seems to imply that you can do CSV export from the API. Is that possible? Just curious because I need the data as CSV. I can always get it as JSON and convert to CSV but if there is a built-in way to get CSV that would be a little easier.

[francis_exalate (Francis Martens (Exalate))]

Is it possible to do a query ‘like created or updated the last 50 seconds’?

[Canapin (Coin-coin le Canapin)]

AI says

-- [params]
-- int :seconds = 50

SELECT
    p.id AS post_id,
    p.created_at,
    p.updated_at,
    p.raw AS post_content,
    p.user_id,
    t.title AS topic_title,
    t.id AS topic_id
FROM posts p
INNER JOIN topics t ON t.id = p.topic_id
WHERE
    (EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - p.created_at)) <= :seconds
    OR EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - p.updated_at)) <= :seconds)
    AND p.deleted_at IS NULL
    AND t.deleted_at IS NULL
ORDER BY p.created_at DESC
LIMIT 50

Did a quick test, it seems to work

[Moin]

I don’t see the “like ” I added to a post using your query.

I think you need to use post_actions

--[params]
--string :timespan = 50 seconds

SELECT post_id,
       user_id, 
       created_at, 
       updated_at, 
       deleted_at
FROM  post_actions
WHERE post_action_type_id=2 AND updated_at > NOW() - INTERVAL :timespan

Version with more beautiful results

--[params]
--string :timespan = 50 seconds
--boolean :include_in_timespan_deleted = false

SELECT 
  post_id, 
  user_id, 
  CASE
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at)) < 60 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at))), ' seconds ago')
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at)) < 3600 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at)) / 60), ' minutes ago')
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at)) < 86400 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at)) / 3600), ' hours ago')
    ELSE CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - created_at)) / 86400), ' days ago')
  END AS relative_created_at,
  CASE
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at)) < 60 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at))), ' seconds ago')
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at)) < 3600 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at)) / 60), ' minutes ago')
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at)) < 86400 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at)) / 3600), ' hours ago')
    ELSE CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - updated_at)) / 86400), ' days ago')
  END AS relative_updated_at,
  CASE
    WHEN deleted_at IS NULL THEN 'no'
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at)) < 60 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at))), ' seconds ago')
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at)) < 3600 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at)) / 60), ' minutes ago')
    WHEN EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at)) < 86400 THEN CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at)) / 3600), ' hours ago')
    ELSE CONCAT(ROUND(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (NOW() - deleted_at)) / 86400), ' days ago')
  END AS relative_deleted_at
FROM 
  post_actions
WHERE 
  post_action_type_id = 2 
  AND updated_at > NOW() - INTERVAL :timespan
  AND (
    :include_in_timespan_deleted = false 
    OR (deleted_at IS NOT NULL AND deleted_at > NOW() - INTERVAL :timespan)
  )

[Canapin (Coin-coin le Canapin)]

Oooh I misread! I read the sentence as "Is it possible to do a query like ‘created or updated the last 50 seconds’?

(notice the single quote position)

[francis_exalate (Francis Martens (Exalate))]

Thanks all,

I posted here because that is where ask.discourse pointed me to.
What I’m looking for is if the API is providing this capability.

[Canapin (Coin-coin le Canapin)]

Yes, of course.

You create the query in data explorer, then you run the query through the API as described in this guide.

I just ran Moin’s query via the API and it properly returned the expected results.

[tanya_byrne (kukulaka)]

I was wondering about this too. Is JSON the only way of exporting data via the API or is CSV export also supported for Data Explorer?

[francis_exalate (Francis Martens (Exalate))]

Thanks all,

Sorry for the late response - was offline for a bit.

What I’m currently doing is to search for all topics/posts created today, and filter out the topics/posts updated before the timestamp.

[Canapin (Coin-coin le Canapin)]

@francis_exalate

What I’m currently doing is to search for all topics/posts created today, and filter out the topics/posts updated before the timestamp.

If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can ask the bot at ask.discourse.com. It’s usually pretty accurate regarding Discourse-related SQL queries (but don’t assume it’s right, check the code to be sure).