REST search results capped at 1000 items; GraphQL connection option for larger sets

Answer to the exact question

GitHub’s REST search returns at most about 1,000 matching items. When you request page 11 with per_page=100, the API stops returning new hits and sets incomplete_results to true, so you cannot retrieve additional records via REST paging.

GraphQL search uses a cursor‑based SearchResultItemConnection. Each page can request up to 100 items (the maximum first or last value), but the underlying search index still limits the total number of results. GraphQL does not bypass the 1,000‑item cap; it simply provides cursor pagination and may expose additional fields.

Likely explanation for the cap

• REST search advertises a hard limit of ~1,000 results; requests beyond that return an empty items array and incomplete_results:true.
• GraphQL search is capped by the same search index, but the cursor model lets you fetch the next 100 items at a time, not an offset to page 11.
• Both REST and GraphQL search share the same index; they are not separate back‑ends.

When to switch from REST to GraphQL

1. Detect the limit. Call REST with per_page=100 for page 10 and page 11; if page 11 returns no items and incomplete_results:true, you have reached the cap.
2. Check required fields. If the REST payload lacks fields you need (e.g., updatedAt, stargazersCount), GraphQL may provide them.
3. Assess rate‑limit budget. GraphQL search costs more per node; verify rateLimit.cost and rateLimit.remaining before issuing multiple pages.
4. Consider stability. Cursor pagination is stateful; if items can be added or removed between requests you may see duplicates or gaps. For a static snapshot, use a single endpoint or export.
5. Verify host and version. GitHub.com and GitHub Enterprise Server may have different caps or GraphQL schema availability; confirm the target environment.

To finalize the recommendation we need one diagnostic detail:

What host (GitHub.com or a specific GitHub Enterprise Server version) are you querying, and which fields beyond the default REST search output are required?