<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<!--
!!! WARNING !!!
This file was auto-generated from readme/spec/server_file_url_format.md and any manual change
made to it will be overwritten. To make a change to this file please modify
the source Markdown file:
https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/blob/dev/readme/spec/server_file_url_format.md
-->
<head>
<meta
charset="utf-8"
http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible"
content="IE=edge,chrome=1"
/>
<link rel="icon" href="/images/favicon.png" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<meta name="theme-color" content="#000000" />
<meta name="description" content="Joplin website" />
<link
rel="stylesheet"
href="/css/bootstrap5.0.2.min.css"
as="style"
/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/fontawesome-all.min.css?t=1625913797829">
<link
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Montserrat:wght@400;500;600;700&display=swap"
rel="stylesheet"
as="style"
media="all"
onload="this.media='all'; this.onload = null"
/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/site.css?t=1625913797829" as="style" />
<title>Structure of file URLs in Joplin Server | Joplin</title>
</head>
<body class="website-env-prod">
<div class="container-fluid generic-template -page" id="main-container">
<div class=" navbar-main white-bg" id="nav-section">
<div class="container">
<div class="row">
<div class="col-3">
<a href="/">
<img
src="/images/logo-text-blue.svg"
alt=""
id="top-logo"
width="180"
/>
</a>
</div>
<div class="col-9 text-right d-none d-md-block">
<a href="/help/" class="fw500">Help</a>
<a href="https://discourse.joplinapp.org/" class="fw500">Forum</a>
<a class="button-link btn-blue donate-button" href="/donate">
<i class="fas fa-heart heart-full"></i><i class="far fa-heart heart-line"></i> Support
</a> </div>
<div class="col-9 text-right d-block d-md-none">
<span class="pointer"
><img
src="/images/mobile-menu-black-open-icon.png"
id="open-menu-mobile"
alt=""
/></span>
<div id="menu-mobile">
<div>
<div class="text-right">
<img
src="/images/close-icon.png"
alt=""
class="pointer"
id="close-menu-mobile"
/>
</div>
<div class="text-center menu-mobile-top">
<a href="https://discourse.joplinapp.org/" class="fw500 mobile-menu-link">Forum</a>
<a href="/help/" class="fw500 mobile-menu-link">Help</a>
</div>
<div class="menu-mobile-buttons">
<a class="button-link btn-blue donate-button" href="/donate">
<i class="fas fa-heart heart-full"></i><i class="far fa-heart heart-line"></i> Support
</a> </div>
</div>
<div id="toc-mobile"><div><ul>
<li>
<p>Applications</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/desktop/">Desktop application</a></li>
<li><a href="/mobile/">Mobile applications</a></li>
<li><a href="/terminal/">Terminal application</a></li>
<li><a href="/clipper/">Web Clipper</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Support</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://discourse.joplinapp.org">Joplin Forum</a></li>
<li><a href="/markdown/">Markdown Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="/e2ee/">How to enable end-to-end encryption</a></li>
<li><a href="/conflict/">What is a conflict?</a></li>
<li><a href="/debugging/">How to enable debug mode</a></li>
<li><a href="/rich_text_editor/">About the Rich Text editor limitations</a></li>
<li><a href="/faq/">FAQ</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Joplin API - Get Started</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/api/overview/">Joplin API Overview</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/get_started/plugins/">Plugin development</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/tutorials/toc_plugin/">Plugin tutorial</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Joplin API - References</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://joplinapp.org/api/references/plugin_api/classes/joplin.html">Plugin API</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/rest_api/">Data API</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/plugin_manifest/">Plugin manifest</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/plugin_loading_rules/">Plugin loading rules</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/plugin_theming/">Plugin theming</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Development</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/blob/dev/BUILD.md">How to build the apps</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/e2ee/">End-to-end encryption spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/history/">Note History spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/sync_lock/">Sync Lock spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/plugins/">Plugin Architecture spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/search_sorting/">Search Sorting spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/server_file_url_format/">Server: File URL Format</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/server_delta_sync/">Server: Delta Sync</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/server_sharing/">Server: Sharing</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Google Summer of Code 2021</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/gsoc2021/index/">Google Summer of Code 2021</a></li>
<li><a href="/gsoc2021/pull_request_guidelines/">How to submit a GSoC pull request</a></li>
<li><a href="/gsoc2021/ideas/">Project Ideas</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>About</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/changelog/">Changelog (Desktop App)</a></li>
<li><a href="/changelog_cli/">Changelog (CLI App)</a></li>
<li><a href="/changelog_server/">Changelog (Server)</a></li>
<li><a href="/stats/">Stats</a></li>
<li><a href="/donate/">Donate</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div></div>
<div>
<p class="light-blue mobile-menu-link-bottom text-center">
Copyright (C) 2016-2021 Laurent Cozic
<br/>
<a href="/privacy/" class="fw500">Privacy Policy</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="page-container page-server_file_url_format">
<div class="container">
<div class="row content-wrapper">
<div id="toc"><div><ul>
<li>
<p>Applications</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/desktop/">Desktop application</a></li>
<li><a href="/mobile/">Mobile applications</a></li>
<li><a href="/terminal/">Terminal application</a></li>
<li><a href="/clipper/">Web Clipper</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Support</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://discourse.joplinapp.org">Joplin Forum</a></li>
<li><a href="/markdown/">Markdown Guide</a></li>
<li><a href="/e2ee/">How to enable end-to-end encryption</a></li>
<li><a href="/conflict/">What is a conflict?</a></li>
<li><a href="/debugging/">How to enable debug mode</a></li>
<li><a href="/rich_text_editor/">About the Rich Text editor limitations</a></li>
<li><a href="/faq/">FAQ</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Joplin API - Get Started</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/api/overview/">Joplin API Overview</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/get_started/plugins/">Plugin development</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/tutorials/toc_plugin/">Plugin tutorial</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Joplin API - References</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://joplinapp.org/api/references/plugin_api/classes/joplin.html">Plugin API</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/rest_api/">Data API</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/plugin_manifest/">Plugin manifest</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/plugin_loading_rules/">Plugin loading rules</a></li>
<li><a href="/api/references/plugin_theming/">Plugin theming</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Development</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/blob/dev/BUILD.md">How to build the apps</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/e2ee/">End-to-end encryption spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/history/">Note History spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/sync_lock/">Sync Lock spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/plugins/">Plugin Architecture spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/search_sorting/">Search Sorting spec</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/server_file_url_format/">Server: File URL Format</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/server_delta_sync/">Server: Delta Sync</a></li>
<li><a href="/spec/server_sharing/">Server: Sharing</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>Google Summer of Code 2021</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/gsoc2021/index/">Google Summer of Code 2021</a></li>
<li><a href="/gsoc2021/pull_request_guidelines/">How to submit a GSoC pull request</a></li>
<li><a href="/gsoc2021/ideas/">Project Ideas</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<p>About</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="/changelog/">Changelog (Desktop App)</a></li>
<li><a href="/changelog_cli/">Changelog (CLI App)</a></li>
<li><a href="/changelog_server/">Changelog (Server)</a></li>
<li><a href="/stats/">Stats</a></li>
<li><a href="/donate/">Donate</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div></div>
<div class="main-content">
<div class="alert alert-danger alert-env-dev" role="alert">
Running in prod mode!
</div>
<div class="donate-links">
<p><a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=E8JMYD2LQ8MMA&lc=GB&item_name=Joplin+Development&currency_code=EUR&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted"><img src="https://joplinapp.org/images/badges/Donate-PayPal-green.svg" alt="Donate using PayPal"></a> <a href="https://github.com/sponsors/laurent22/"><img src="https://joplinapp.org/images/badges/GitHub-Badge.svg" alt="Sponsor on GitHub"></a> <a href="https://www.patreon.com/joplin"><img src="https://joplinapp.org/images/badges/Patreon-Badge.svg" alt="Become a patron"></a> <a href="https://joplinapp.org/donate/#donations"><img src="https://joplinapp.org/images/badges/Donate-IBAN.svg" alt="Donate using IBAN"></a></p>
</div>
<h1>Structure of file URLs in Joplin Server<a name="structure-of-file-urls-in-joplin-server" href="#structure-of-file-urls-in-joplin-server" class="heading-anchor">🔗</a></h1>
<p>To identify a file, Joplin Server supports two types of URLs:</p>
<h2>Access by ID<a name="access-by-id" href="#access-by-id" class="heading-anchor">🔗</a></h2>
<p><strong>Format:</strong> <code>BASE_URL/files/FILE_ID</code></p>
<p>This is the simplest way and it matches how other API items are accessed by ID.</p>
<p>For example: <code>https://example.com/api/files/5c7e0f3f54434ba</code></p>
<h2>Access by full path<a name="access-by-full-path" href="#access-by-full-path" class="heading-anchor">🔗</a></h2>
<p><strong>Format:</strong> <code>BASE_URL/files/SPECIAL_DIR:/path/to/file/:</code></p>
<p>This is to access a file by its full path. In this case, the path must be prefixed by <code>SPECIAL_DIR</code>, which can only be <code>root</code> at the moment. Then to differentiate the path from URL segments, it needs to be wrapped in colons <code>:</code>.</p>
<p>For example, to access the metadata of file <code>/my/file.txt</code></p>
<p><code>https://example.com/api/files/root:/my/file.txt:</code></p>
<p>To access its content:</p>
<p><code>https://example.com/api/files/root:/my/file.txt:/content</code></p>
<p>To access the root only (for example to list its content):</p>
<p><code>https://example.com/api/files/root:/:</code></p>
<p>Which can also be written as:</p>
<p><code>https://example.com/api/files/root</code></p>
<h2>Difference between API and web app end points<a name="difference-between-api-and-web-app-end-points" href="#difference-between-api-and-web-app-end-points" class="heading-anchor">🔗</a></h2>
<p>The API and web app end points are consistent in the way they access files, except that in one case the URLs will start with <code>/api</code> and the other with just <code>/</code>. For example, this would access the same file:</p>
<ul>
<li>API: <code>https://example.com/api/files/root:/my/file.txt:</code></li>
<li>Web: <code>https://example.com/files/root:/my/file.txt:</code></li>
</ul>
<div class="bottom-links">
<a href="https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/blob/dev/readme/spec/server_file_url_format.md">
<i class="fab fa-github"></i> Improve this doc
</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<footer class="darkblue-bg">
<div class="container">
<div class="row">
<div class="col-3 d-none d-md-block">
<img src="/images/logo-text.svg" alt="" width="150" />
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-12">
<hr />
</div>
</div>
<div class="row">
<div class="col-12 col-md-6">
<img
src="/images/logo-text.svg"
width="120"
class="img-center d-block d-md-none"
alt=""
/>
<br class="d-block d-md-none" />
<p class="text-center-sm">Copyright (C) 2016-2021 Laurent Cozic</p>
</div>
<div class="col-12 col-md-6 right-links">
<p class="text-right text-center-sm">
<a href="https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/" class="github-link"><i class="fab fa-github"></i> GitHub Repository</a>
<a href="/privacy/">Privacy Policy</a>
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div>
<script
src="/js/jquery-3.6.0.min.js"
rel="preload"
as="script"
></script>
<script src="/js/script.js?t=1625913797829"></script>
<script>
(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
})(window,document,'script','https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
ga('create', 'UA-103586105-1', 'auto');
ga('send', 'pageview');
</script> </body>
</html>