---
stage: Plan
group: Product Planning
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
---
# Epics API **(PREMIUM)**
> - Introduced in [GitLab Ultimate](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/) 10.2.
> - Single-level Epics [were moved](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/37081) to [GitLab Premium](https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/) in 12.8.
Every API call to epic must be authenticated.
If a user is not a member of a private group, a `GET` request on that group results in a `404` status code.
If epics feature is not available a `403` status code is returned.
## Epic issues API
The [epic issues API](epic_issues.md) allows you to interact with issues associated with an epic.
## Milestone dates integration
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/6448) in GitLab 11.3.
Because start date and due date can be dynamically sourced from related issue milestones,
additional fields are shown when user has edit permission. These include two boolean
fields `start_date_is_fixed` and `due_date_is_fixed`, and four date fields `start_date_fixed`,
`start_date_from_inherited_source`, `due_date_fixed` and `due_date_from_inherited_source`.
- `end_date` has been deprecated in favor of `due_date`.
- `start_date_from_milestones` has been deprecated in favor of `start_date_from_inherited_source`
- `due_date_from_milestones` has been deprecated in favor of `due_date_from_inherited_source`
## Epics pagination
By default, `GET` requests return 20 results at a time because the API results
are paginated.
Read more on [pagination](index.md#pagination).
WARNING:
In [GitLab 12.6](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/20354) and later,
the `reference` attribute in responses is deprecated in favor of `references`.
NOTE:
`references.relative` is relative to the group that the epic is being requested from. When an epic
is fetched from its origin group, the `relative` format is the same as the `short` format.
When an epic is requested across groups, the `relative` format is expected to be the same as the `full` format.
## List epics for a group
> `parent_iid` and `_links[parent]` in response were [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/347527) in GitLab 14.6.
Gets all epics of the requested group and its subgroups.
```plaintext
GET /groups/:id/epics
GET /groups/:id/epics?author_id=5
GET /groups/:id/epics?labels=bug,reproduced
GET /groups/:id/epics?state=opened
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------------- | ---------------- | ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the group](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `author_id` | integer | no | Return epics created by the given user `id` |
| `author_username` | string | no | Return epics created by the user with the given `username`. Available in [GitLab 14.7](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/348257) and later |
| `labels` | string | no | Return epics matching a comma-separated list of labels names. Label names from the epic group or a parent group can be used |
| `with_labels_details` | boolean | no | If `true`, response returns more details for each label in labels field: `:name`, `:color`, `:description`, `:description_html`, `:text_color`. Default is `false`. Available in [GitLab 12.7](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/21413) and later |
| `order_by` | string | no | Return epics ordered by `created_at`, `updated_at`, or `title` fields. Default is `created_at` |
| `sort` | string | no | Return epics sorted in `asc` or `desc` order. Default is `desc` |
| `search` | string | no | Search epics against their `title` and `description` |
| `state` | string | no | Search epics against their `state`, possible filters: `opened`, `closed` and `all`, default: `all` |
| `created_after` | datetime | no | Return epics created on or after the given time. Expected in ISO 8601 format (`2019-03-15T08:00:00Z`) |
| `created_before` | datetime | no | Return epics created on or before the given time. Expected in ISO 8601 format (`2019-03-15T08:00:00Z`) |
| `updated_after` | datetime | no | Return epics updated on or after the given time. Expected in ISO 8601 format (`2019-03-15T08:00:00Z`) |
| `updated_before` | datetime | no | Return epics updated on or before the given time. Expected in ISO 8601 format (`2019-03-15T08:00:00Z`) |
| `include_ancestor_groups` | boolean | no | Include epics from the requested group's ancestors. Default is `false` |
| `include_descendant_groups` | boolean | no | Include epics from the requested group's descendants. Default is `true` |
| `my_reaction_emoji` | string | no | Return epics reacted by the authenticated user by the given emoji. `None` returns epics not given a reaction. `Any` returns epics given at least one reaction. Available in [GitLab 13.0](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/31479) and later |
| `not` | Hash | no | Return epics that do not match the parameters supplied. Accepts: `author_id`, `author_username` ([GitLab 14.7](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/348257) and later) and `labels`. Available in [GitLab 14.6](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/347525) and later |
```shell
curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/epics"
```
Example response:
```json
[
{
"id": 29,
"iid": 4,
"group_id": 7,
"parent_id": 23,
"parent_iid": 3,
"title": "Accusamus iste et ullam ratione voluptatem omnis debitis dolor est.",
"description": "Molestias dolorem eos vitae expedita impedit necessitatibus quo voluptatum.",
"state": "opened",
"confidential": "false",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/groups/test/-/epics/4",
"reference": "&4",
"references": {
"short": "&4",
"relative": "&4",
"full": "test&4"
},
"author": {
"id": 10,
"name": "Lu Mayer",
"username": "kam",
"state": "active",
"avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/018729e129a6f31c80a6327a30196823?s=80&d=identicon",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/kam"
},
"start_date": null,
"start_date_is_fixed": false,
"start_date_fixed": null,
"start_date_from_milestones": null, //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"start_date_from_inherited_source": null,
"end_date": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of due_date
"due_date": "2018-07-31",
"due_date_is_fixed": false,
"due_date_fixed": null,
"due_date_from_milestones": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"due_date_from_inherited_source": "2018-07-31",
"created_at": "2018-07-17T13:36:22.770Z",
"updated_at": "2018-07-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"closed_at": "2018-08-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"labels": [],
"upvotes": 4,
"downvotes": 0,
"color": "#1068bf",
"_links":{
"self": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/4",
"epic_issues": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/4/issues",
"group":"http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7",
"parent":"http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/3"
}
},
{
"id": 50,
"iid": 35,
"group_id": 17,
"parent_id": 19,
"parent_iid": 1,
"title": "Accusamus iste et ullam ratione voluptatem omnis debitis dolor est.",
"description": "Molestias dolorem eos vitae expedita impedit necessitatibus quo voluptatum.",
"state": "opened",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/groups/test/sample/-/epics/35",
"reference": "&4",
"references": {
"short": "&4",
"relative": "sample&4",
"full": "test/sample&4"
},
"author": {
"id": 10,
"name": "Lu Mayer",
"username": "kam",
"state": "active",
"avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/018729e129a6f31c80a6327a30196823?s=80&d=identicon",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/kam"
},
"start_date": null,
"start_date_is_fixed": false,
"start_date_fixed": null,
"start_date_from_milestones": null, //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"start_date_from_inherited_source": null,
"end_date": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of due_date
"due_date": "2018-07-31",
"due_date_is_fixed": false,
"due_date_fixed": null,
"due_date_from_milestones": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"due_date_from_inherited_source": "2018-07-31",
"created_at": "2018-07-17T13:36:22.770Z",
"updated_at": "2018-07-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"closed_at": "2018-08-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"labels": [],
"upvotes": 4,
"downvotes": 0,
"color": "#1068bf",
"_links":{
"self": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/17/epics/35",
"epic_issues": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/17/epics/35/issues",
"group":"http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/17",
"parent":"http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/17/epics/1"
}
}
]
```
## Single epic
> `parent_iid` and `_links[parent]` in response were [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/347527) in GitLab 14.6.
Gets a single epic
```plaintext
GET /groups/:id/epics/:epic_iid
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------------- | ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the group](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `epic_iid` | integer/string | yes | The internal ID of the epic. |
```shell
curl --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/epics/5"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 30,
"iid": 5,
"group_id": 7,
"parent_id": null,
"parent_iid": null,
"title": "Ea cupiditate dolores ut vero consequatur quasi veniam voluptatem et non.",
"description": "Molestias dolorem eos vitae expedita impedit necessitatibus quo voluptatum.",
"state": "opened",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/groups/test/-/epics/5",
"reference": "&5",
"references": {
"short": "&5",
"relative": "&5",
"full": "test&5"
},
"author":{
"id": 7,
"name": "Pamella Huel",
"username": "arnita",
"state": "active",
"avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/a2f5c6fcef64c9c69cb8779cb292be1b?s=80&d=identicon",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/arnita"
},
"start_date": null,
"start_date_is_fixed": false,
"start_date_fixed": null,
"start_date_from_milestones": null, //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"start_date_from_inherited_source": null,
"end_date": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of due_date
"due_date": "2018-07-31",
"due_date_is_fixed": false,
"due_date_fixed": null,
"due_date_from_milestones": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"due_date_from_inherited_source": "2018-07-31",
"created_at": "2018-07-17T13:36:22.770Z",
"updated_at": "2018-07-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"closed_at": "2018-08-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"labels": [],
"upvotes": 4,
"downvotes": 0,
"color": "#1068bf",
"subscribed": true,
"_links":{
"self": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/5",
"epic_issues": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/5/issues",
"group":"http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7",
"parent": null
}
}
```
## New epic
> `parent_iid` and `_links[parent]` in response were [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/347527) in GitLab 14.6.
Creates a new epic.
NOTE:
Starting with GitLab [11.3](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/6448), `start_date` and `end_date` should no longer be assigned
directly, as they now represent composite values. You can configure it via the `*_is_fixed` and
`*_fixed` fields instead.
```plaintext
POST /groups/:id/epics
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------------- | ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the group](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `title` | string | yes | The title of the epic |
| `labels` | string | no | The comma-separated list of labels |
| `description` | string | no | The description of the epic. Limited to 1,048,576 characters. |
| `color` | string | no | The color of the epic. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/7641) in GitLab 14.8, behind a feature flag named `epic_highlight_color` (disabled by default) |
| `confidential` | boolean | no | Whether the epic should be confidential |
| `created_at` | string | no | When the epic was created. Date time string, ISO 8601 formatted, for example `2016-03-11T03:45:40Z` . Requires administrator or project/group owner privileges ([available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/255309) in GitLab 13.5 and later) |
| `start_date_is_fixed` | boolean | no | Whether start date should be sourced from `start_date_fixed` or from milestones (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `start_date_fixed` | string | no | The fixed start date of an epic (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `due_date_is_fixed` | boolean | no | Whether due date should be sourced from `due_date_fixed` or from milestones (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `due_date_fixed` | string | no | The fixed due date of an epic (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `parent_id` | integer/string | no | The ID of a parent epic (in GitLab 11.11 and later) |
```shell
curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/epics?title=Epic&description=Epic%20description&parent_id=29"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 33,
"iid": 6,
"group_id": 7,
"parent_id": 29,
"parent_iid": 4,
"title": "Epic",
"description": "Epic description",
"state": "opened",
"confidential": "false",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/groups/test/-/epics/6",
"reference": "&6",
"references": {
"short": "&6",
"relative": "&6",
"full": "test&6"
},
"author": {
"name" : "Alexandra Bashirian",
"avatar_url" : null,
"state" : "active",
"web_url" : "https://gitlab.example.com/eileen.lowe",
"id" : 18,
"username" : "eileen.lowe"
},
"start_date": null,
"start_date_is_fixed": false,
"start_date_fixed": null,
"start_date_from_milestones": null, //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"start_date_from_inherited_source": null,
"end_date": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of due_date
"due_date": "2018-07-31",
"due_date_is_fixed": false,
"due_date_fixed": null,
"due_date_from_milestones": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"due_date_from_inherited_source": "2018-07-31",
"created_at": "2018-07-17T13:36:22.770Z",
"updated_at": "2018-07-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"closed_at": "2018-08-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"labels": [],
"upvotes": 4,
"downvotes": 0,
"color": "#1068bf",
"_links":{
"self": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/6",
"epic_issues": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/6/issues",
"group":"http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7",
"parent": "http://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/7/epics/4"
}
}
```
## Update epic
> `parent_iid` and `_links[parent]` in response were [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/347527) in GitLab 14.6.
Updates an epic.
NOTE:
Starting with GitLab [11.3](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/6448), `start_date` and `end_date` should no longer be assigned
directly, as they now represent composite values. You can configure it via the `*_is_fixed` and
`*_fixed` fields instead.
```plaintext
PUT /groups/:id/epics/:epic_iid
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------------- | ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the group](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `epic_iid` | integer/string | yes | The internal ID of the epic |
| `add_labels` | string | no | Comma-separated label names to add to an issue. |
| `confidential` | boolean | no | Whether the epic should be confidential |
| `description` | string | no | The description of an epic. Limited to 1,048,576 characters. |
| `due_date_fixed` | string | no | The fixed due date of an epic (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `due_date_is_fixed` | boolean | no | Whether due date should be sourced from `due_date_fixed` or from milestones (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `labels` | string | no | Comma-separated label names for an issue. Set to an empty string to unassign all labels. |
| `parent_id` | integer/string | no | The ID of a parent epic. Available in [GitLab 14.6](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/348123) and later |
| `remove_labels` | string | no | Comma-separated label names to remove from an issue. |
| `start_date_fixed` | string | no | The fixed start date of an epic (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `start_date_is_fixed` | boolean | no | Whether start date should be sourced from `start_date_fixed` or from milestones (in GitLab 11.3 and later) |
| `state_event` | string | no | State event for an epic. Set `close` to close the epic and `reopen` to reopen it (in GitLab 11.4 and later) |
| `title` | string | no | The title of an epic |
| `updated_at` | string | no | When the epic was updated. Date time string, ISO 8601 formatted, for example `2016-03-11T03:45:40Z` . Requires administrator or project/group owner privileges ([available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/255309) in GitLab 13.5 and later) |
| `color` | string | no | The color of the epic. [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/7641) in GitLab 14.8, behind a feature flag named `epic_highlight_color` (disabled by default) |
```shell
curl --request PUT --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/epics/5?title=New%20Title&parent_id=29"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 33,
"iid": 6,
"group_id": 7,
"parent_id": 29,
"parent_iid": 4,
"title": "New Title",
"description": "Epic description",
"state": "opened",
"confidential": "false",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/groups/test/-/epics/6",
"reference": "&6",
"references": {
"short": "&6",
"relative": "&6",
"full": "test&6"
},
"author": {
"name" : "Alexandra Bashirian",
"avatar_url" : null,
"state" : "active",
"web_url" : "https://gitlab.example.com/eileen.lowe",
"id" : 18,
"username" : "eileen.lowe"
},
"start_date": null,
"start_date_is_fixed": false,
"start_date_fixed": null,
"start_date_from_milestones": null, //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"start_date_from_inherited_source": null,
"end_date": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of due_date
"due_date": "2018-07-31",
"due_date_is_fixed": false,
"due_date_fixed": null,
"due_date_from_milestones": "2018-07-31", //deprecated in favor of start_date_from_inherited_source
"due_date_from_inherited_source": "2018-07-31",
"created_at": "2018-07-17T13:36:22.770Z",
"updated_at": "2018-07-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"closed_at": "2018-08-18T12:22:05.239Z",
"labels": [],
"upvotes": 4,
"downvotes": 0,
"color": "#1068bf"
}
```
## Delete epic
Deletes an epic
```plaintext
DELETE /groups/:id/epics/:epic_iid
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
| ------------------- | ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the group](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `epic_iid` | integer/string | yes | The internal ID of the epic. |
```shell
curl --request DELETE --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/epics/5"
```
## Create a to-do item
Manually creates a to-do item for the current user on an epic. If
there already exists a to-do item for the user on that epic, status code `304` is
returned.
```plaintext
POST /groups/:id/epics/:epic_iid/todo
```
| Attribute | Type | Required | Description |
|-------------|---------|----------|--------------------------------------|
| `id` | integer/string | yes | The ID or [URL-encoded path of the group](index.md#namespaced-path-encoding) owned by the authenticated user |
| `epic_iid` | integer | yes | The internal ID of a group's epic |
```shell
curl --request POST --header "PRIVATE-TOKEN: <your_access_token>" "https://gitlab.example.com/api/v4/groups/1/epics/5/todo"
```
Example response:
```json
{
"id": 112,
"group": {
"id": 1,
"name": "Gitlab",
"path": "gitlab",
"kind": "group",
"full_path": "base/gitlab",
"parent_id": null
},
"author": {
"name": "Administrator",
"username": "root",
"id": 1,
"state": "active",
"avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/e64c7d89f26bd1972efa854d13d7dd61?s=80&d=identicon",
"web_url": "https://gitlab.example.com/root"
},
"action_name": "marked",
"target_type": "epic",
"target": {
"id": 30,
"iid": 5,
"group_id": 1,
"title": "Ea cupiditate dolores ut vero consequatur quasi veniam voluptatem et non.",
"description": "Molestias dolorem eos vitae expedita impedit necessitatibus quo voluptatum.",
"author":{
"id": 7,
"name": "Pamella Huel",
"username": "arnita",
"state": "active",
"avatar_url": "http://www.gravatar.com/avatar/a2f5c6fcef64c9c69cb8779cb292be1b?s=80&d=identicon",
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/arnita"
},
"web_url": "http://gitlab.example.com/groups/test/-/epics/5",
"reference": "&5",
"references": {
"short": "&5",
"relative": "&5",
"full": "test&5"
},
"start_date": null,
"end_date": null,
"created_at": "2018-01-21T06:21:13.165Z",
"updated_at": "2018-01-22T12:41:41.166Z",
"closed_at": "2018-08-18T12:22:05.239Z"
},
"target_url": "https://gitlab.example.com/groups/epics/5",
"body": "Vel voluptas atque dicta mollitia adipisci qui at.",
"state": "pending",
"created_at": "2016-07-01T11:09:13.992Z"
}
```