# Parameter :: 11. `query::`
Search query string. Required by `.search`.
**Type:** String
**Fundamental Type:** String (raw)
**Constraints:**
- Must be non-empty
- Error on empty: `"query must be non-empty"`
**Default:** none — **required**
**Commands:** `.search`
**Alias:** `q`
**Purpose:** The text to search for in session content. Default matching is case-insensitive substring. Multi-word phrases should be quoted in the shell.
**Examples:**
```bash
# Valid values
query::error # Single term
query::"session management" # Phrase (shell-quoted)
q::version_bump # Using alias
# Invalid values
query:: # "query must be non-empty"
```
### Referenced Type
| String | Base type | String | Non-empty |
### Referenced Commands
| 5 | [`.search`](../command/05_search.md) | none — required | Search term; alias `q` supported |
### Referenced User Stories
| 2 | [Find Past Conversation](../user_story/002_find_past_conversation.md) | developer |