Search and ask

/ask and /docs search run the same search. Use whichever is easier to remember:

/ask question:how do I add a callout
/docs search query:callouts

Writing a query #

Ask the way you would ask a person. Your docs site's search:

• ignores filler words, so how do I add a callout searches for add and callout;
• matches different forms of a word, so cooking finds cook and eggs finds egg;
• tolerates small typos, so instalation finds Installation;
• ranks matches in page titles above headings, then page descriptions and keywords, then body text;
• gives more weight to the distinctive words in a question than to common ones.

This matching needs ctrl alt doc 1.0.7 or later on your docs site. Older sites only find pages that contain the whole query exactly. See Preparing your docs site .

While you type, Discord suggests matching page titles. Your own wording stays first in the list, labelled Search: …, so pressing Enter searches for exactly what you typed.

Reading the result #

The reply shows the best match:

• Title: the page title, or Page › Section when a heading matched better than the page title.
• Text: the matched section's text, with code blocks and callouts kept, or the page description for a whole-page match.
• Section: where the page sits in your docs, for example Getting Started.
• Open page: opens the page in the browser, scrolled to the matched heading.

The reply is public, so everyone in the channel sees the answer.

Switching between results #

When more than one page matches, a menu below the reply lists up to ten results. Choosing one switches the reply to that page or section in place.

Only the person who asked can switch the shared reply. Anyone else who uses the menu gets a private copy of the result they chose, so one person can't change what another is reading.

No matches #

If nothing matches, the bot says so and offers a Browse the docs button that opens your docs site's home page. Try fewer or broader words.

If the docs site is slow or down #

Discord expects an answer within three seconds. If your docs site takes longer, the bot shows Discord's "thinking" indicator and fills in the answer when it arrives, waiting up to ten seconds.

If the docs site can't be reached, or returns something the bot can't read, the bot replies privately with a short explanation. Error replies never include technical details. Operators can find those in the Worker's logs. See Troubleshooting .