---
title: "Sitecore query"
slug: "sitecore-query"
abstract: "Introduction to Sitecore query that provides query string syntax to filter and retrieve items from the Sitecore content tree."
---
# Sitecore query

Sitecore query provides query string syntax that filters and retrieves items from the Sitecore content tree using a simplified version of XPath syntax. Developers use Sitecore query strings in .NET code and in the **Source** field of field definition items (it requires the `“query:”` prefix at the start of the **Source** field).

> [!note]
> Sitecore query is not scalable if you are using item buckets to store a large number of items in the content tree.