---
title: "List matching references"
method: GET
path: "/repos/{owner}/{repo}/git/matching-refs/{ref}"
tags: ["git"]
---

# List matching references

`GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/git/matching-refs/{ref}`

Returns an array of references from your Git database that match the supplied name. The `:ref` in the URL must be formatted as `heads/<branch name>` for branches and `tags/<tag name>` for tags. If the `:ref` doesn't exist in the repository, but existing refs start with `:ref`, they will be returned as an array.

When you use this endpoint without providing a `:ref`, it will return an array of all the references from your Git database, including notes and stashes if they exist on the server. Anything in the namespace is returned, not just `heads` and `tags`.

> [!NOTE]
> You need to explicitly [request a pull request](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-cloud@latest/rest/pulls/pulls#get-a-pull-request) to trigger a test merge commit, which checks the mergeability of pull requests. For more information, see "[Checking mergeability of pull requests](https://docs.github.com/enterprise-cloud@latest/rest/guides/getting-started-with-the-git-database-api#checking-mergeability-of-pull-requests)".

If you request matching references for a branch named `feature` but the branch `feature` doesn't exist, the response can still include other matching head refs that start with the word `feature`, such as `featureA` and `featureB`.

## Path parameters

- `owner` string, required
- `repo` string, required
- `ref` string, required

## Response `200`

Response

- GitRef[]
  - `ref` string, required
  - `node_id` string, required
  - `url` string, uri, required
  - `object` object, required
    - `type` string, required
    - `sha` string, required — SHA for the reference
    - `url` string, uri, required

## Other responses

- `409` — Conflict

---

[API](https://skmtc.net/github/apis/github-v3-rest-api-2.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.net/github/apis/github-v3-rest-api-2/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-staging.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/github/github-v3-rest-api-2/versions/8ae6d0c8716e/schema)