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diff --git a/doc/api/README.md b/doc/api/README.md
index 6cbea29bda6..f226716c3b5 100644
--- a/doc/api/README.md
+++ b/doc/api/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ following locations:
- [Project-level Variables](project_level_variables.md)
- [Group-level Variables](group_level_variables.md)
- [Commits](commits.md)
+- [Custom Attributes](custom_attributes.md)
- [Deployments](deployments.md)
- [Deploy Keys](deploy_keys.md)
- [Environments](environments.md)
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ following locations:
- [Notes](notes.md) (comments)
- [Notification settings](notification_settings.md)
- [Open source license templates](templates/licenses.md)
+- [Pages Domains](pages_domains.md)
- [Pipelines](pipelines.md)
- [Pipeline Triggers](pipeline_triggers.md)
- [Pipeline Schedules](pipeline_schedules.md)
@@ -48,7 +50,6 @@ following locations:
- [Repository Files](repository_files.md)
- [Runners](runners.md)
- [Services](services.md)
-- [Session](session.md)
- [Settings](settings.md)
- [Sidekiq metrics](sidekiq_metrics.md)
- [System Hooks](system_hooks.md)
@@ -62,7 +63,21 @@ following locations:
## Road to GraphQL
-We have changed our plans to move to GraphQL. After reviewing the GraphQL license, anything related to the Facebook BSD plus patent license will not be allowed at GitLab.
+Going forward, we will start on moving to
+[GraphQL](http://graphql.org/learn/best-practices/) and deprecate the use of
+controller-specific endpoints. GraphQL has a number of benefits:
+
+1. We avoid having to maintain two different APIs.
+2. Callers of the API can request only what they need.
+3. It is versioned by default.
+
+It will co-exist with the current v4 REST API. If we have a v5 API, this should
+be a compatibility layer on top of GraphQL.
+
+Although there were some patenting and licensing concerns with GraphQL, these
+have been resolved to our satisfaction by the relicensing of the reference
+implementations under MIT, and the use of the OWF license for the GraphQL
+specification.
## Basic usage
@@ -70,27 +85,10 @@ API requests should be prefixed with `api` and the API version. The API version
is defined in [`lib/api.rb`][lib-api-url]. For example, the root of the v4 API
is at `/api/v4`.
-For endpoints that require [authentication](#authentication), you need to pass
-a `private_token` parameter via query string or header. If passed as a header,
-the header name must be `PRIVATE-TOKEN` (uppercase and with a dash instead of
-an underscore).
-
-Example of a valid API request:
-
-```
-GET /projects?private_token=9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK
-```
-
-Example of a valid API request using cURL and authentication via header:
-
-```shell
-curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects"
-```
-
-Example of a valid API request using cURL and authentication via a query string:
+Example of a valid API request using cURL:
```shell
-curl "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects?private_token=9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK"
+curl "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects"
```
The API uses JSON to serialize data. You don't need to specify `.json` at the
@@ -98,15 +96,20 @@ end of an API URL.
## Authentication
-Most API requests require authentication via a session cookie or token. For
+Most API requests require authentication, or will only return public data when
+authentication is not provided. For
those cases where it is not required, this will be mentioned in the documentation
for each individual endpoint. For example, the [`/projects/:id` endpoint](projects.md).
-There are three types of access tokens available:
+There are three ways to authenticate with the GitLab API:
1. [OAuth2 tokens](#oauth2-tokens)
-1. [Private tokens](#private-tokens)
1. [Personal access tokens](#personal-access-tokens)
+1. [Session cookie](#session-cookie)
+
+For admins who want to authenticate with the API as a specific user, or who want to build applications or scripts that do so, two options are available:
+1. [Impersonation tokens](#impersonation-tokens)
+2. [Sudo](#sudo)
If authentication information is invalid or omitted, an error message will be
returned with status code `401`:
@@ -117,74 +120,84 @@ returned with status code `401`:
}
```
-### Session cookie
+### OAuth2 tokens
-When signing in to GitLab as an ordinary user, a `_gitlab_session` cookie is
-set. The API will use this cookie for authentication if it is present, but using
-the API to generate a new session cookie is currently not supported.
+You can use an [OAuth2 token](oauth2.md) to authenticate with the API by passing it in either the
+`access_token` parameter or the `Authorization` header.
-### OAuth2 tokens
+Example of using the OAuth2 token in a parameter:
-You can use an OAuth 2 token to authenticate with the API by passing it either in the
-`access_token` parameter or in the `Authorization` header.
+```shell
+curl https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects?access_token=OAUTH-TOKEN
+```
-Example of using the OAuth2 token in the header:
+Example of using the OAuth2 token in a header:
```shell
curl --header "Authorization: Bearer OAUTH-TOKEN" https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects
```
-Read more about [GitLab as an OAuth2 client](oauth2.md).
+Read more about [GitLab as an OAuth2 provider](oauth2.md).
-### Private tokens
+### Personal access tokens
-Private tokens provide full access to the GitLab API. Anyone with access to
-them can interact with GitLab as if they were you. You can find or reset your
-private token in your account page (`/profile/account`).
+You can use a [personal access token][pat] to authenticate with the API by passing it in either the
+`private_token` parameter or the `Private-Token` header.
-For examples of usage, [read the basic usage section](#basic-usage).
+Example of using the personal access token in a parameter:
-### Personal access tokens
+```shell
+curl https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects?private_token=9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK
+```
-Instead of using your private token which grants full access to your account,
-personal access tokens could be a better fit because of their granular
-permissions.
+Example of using the personal access token in a header:
-Once you have your token, pass it to the API using either the `private_token`
-parameter or the `PRIVATE-TOKEN` header. For examples of usage,
-[read the basic usage section](#basic-usage).
+```shell
+curl --header "Private-Token: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects
+```
+
+Read more about [personal access tokens][pat].
+
+### Session cookie
+
+When signing in to the main GitLab application, a `_gitlab_session` cookie is
+set. The API will use this cookie for authentication if it is present, but using
+the API to generate a new session cookie is currently not supported.
-[Read more about personal access tokens.][pat]
+The primary user of this authentication method is the web frontend of GitLab itself,
+which can use the API as the authenticated user to get a list of their projects,
+for example, without needing to explicitly pass an access token.
### Impersonation tokens
> [Introduced][ce-9099] in GitLab 9.0. Needs admin permissions.
Impersonation tokens are a type of [personal access token][pat]
-that can only be created by an admin for a specific user.
+that can only be created by an admin for a specific user. They are a great fit
+if you want to build applications or scripts that authenticate with the API as a specific user.
-They are a better alternative to using the user's password/private token
-or using the [Sudo](#sudo) feature which also requires the admin's password
-or private token, since the password/token can change over time. Impersonation
-tokens are a great fit if you want to build applications or tools which
-authenticate with the API as a specific user.
+They are an alternative to directly using the user's password or one of their
+personal access tokens, and to using the [Sudo](#sudo) feature, since the user's (or admin's, in the case of Sudo)
+password/token may not be known or may change over time.
For more information, refer to the
[users API](users.md#retrieve-user-impersonation-tokens) docs.
-For examples of usage, [read the basic usage section](#basic-usage).
+Impersonation tokens are used exactly like regular personal access tokens, and can be passed in either the
+`private_token` parameter or the `Private-Token` header.
### Sudo
> Needs admin permissions.
All API requests support performing an API call as if you were another user,
-provided your private token is from an administrator account. You need to pass
-the `sudo` parameter either via query string or a header with an ID/username of
+provided you are authenticated as an administrator with an OAuth or Personal Access Token that has the `sudo` scope.
+
+You need to pass the `sudo` parameter either via query string or a header with an ID/username of
the user you want to perform the operation as. If passed as a header, the
-header name must be `SUDO` (uppercase).
+header name must be `Sudo`.
-If a non administrative `private_token` is provided, then an error message will
+If a non administrative access token is provided, an error message will
be returned with status code `403`:
```json
@@ -193,12 +206,23 @@ be returned with status code `403`:
}
```
+If an access token without the `sudo` scope is provided, an error message will
+be returned with status code `403`:
+
+```json
+{
+ "error": "insufficient_scope",
+ "error_description": "The request requires higher privileges than provided by the access token.",
+ "scope": "sudo"
+}
+```
+
If the sudo user ID or username cannot be found, an error message will be
returned with status code `404`:
```json
{
- "message": "404 Not Found: No user id or username for: <id/username>"
+ "message": "404 User with ID or username '123' Not Found"
}
```
@@ -212,7 +236,7 @@ GET /projects?private_token=9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK&sudo=username
```
```shell
-curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" --header "SUDO: username" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects"
+curl --header "Private-Token: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" --header "Sudo: username" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects"
```
Example of a valid API call and a request using cURL with sudo request,
@@ -223,7 +247,7 @@ GET /projects?private_token=9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK&sudo=23
```
```shell
-curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" --header "SUDO: 23" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects"
+curl --header "Private-Token: 9koXpg98eAheJpvBs5tK" --header "Sudo: 23" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/projects"
```
## Status codes
@@ -440,6 +464,23 @@ Content-Type: application/json
}
```
+## Encoding `+` in ISO 8601 dates
+
+If you need to include a `+` in a query parameter, you may need to use `%2B` instead due
+a [W3 recommendation](http://www.w3.org/Addressing/URL/4_URI_Recommentations.html) that
+causes a `+` to be interpreted as a space. For example, in an ISO 8601 date, you may want to pass
+a time in Mountain Standard Time, such as:
+
+```
+2017-10-17T23:11:13.000+05:30
+```
+
+The correct encoding for the query parameter would be:
+
+```
+2017-10-17T23:11:13.000%2B05:30
+```
+
## Clients
There are many unofficial GitLab API Clients for most of the popular