Create a blob knowledge source from Azure Blob Storage or ADLS Gen2

• Required Azure.Search.Documents package:

  • For 2026-05-01-preview features, the latest preview package: dotnet add package Azure.Search.Documents --prerelease

  • For 2026-04-01 features, the latest stable package: dotnet add package Azure.Search.Documents

• Required azure-search-documents package:

  • For 2026-05-01-preview features, the latest preview package: pip install --pre azure-search-documents

  • For 2026-04-01 features, the latest stable package: pip install azure-search-documents

• Required REST API version:

  • For preview features: Search Service 2026-05-01-preview

  • For generally available features: Search Service 2026-04-01

A knowledge source is a top-level, reusable object. Knowing about existing knowledge sources is helpful for either reuse or naming new objects.

Run the following code to list knowledge sources by name and type.

// List knowledge sources by name and type
using Azure.Search.Documents.Indexes;

var indexClient = new SearchIndexClient(new Uri(searchEndpoint), credential);
var knowledgeSources = indexClient.GetKnowledgeSourcesAsync();

Console.WriteLine("Knowledge Sources:");

await foreach (var ks in knowledgeSources)
{
    Console.WriteLine($"  Name: {ks.Name}, Type: {ks.GetType().Name}");
}

You can also return a single knowledge source by name to review its JSON definition.

using Azure.Search.Documents.Indexes;
using System.Text.Json;

var indexClient = new SearchIndexClient(new Uri(searchEndpoint), credential);

// Specify the knowledge source name to retrieve
string ksNameToGet = "earth-knowledge-source";

// Get its definition
var knowledgeSourceResponse = await indexClient.GetKnowledgeSourceAsync(ksNameToGet);
var ks = knowledgeSourceResponse.Value;

// Serialize to JSON for display
var jsonOptions = new JsonSerializerOptions 
{ 
    WriteIndented = true,
    DefaultIgnoreCondition = System.Text.Json.Serialization.JsonIgnoreCondition.Never
};
Console.WriteLine(JsonSerializer.Serialize(ks, ks.GetType(), jsonOptions));

A knowledge source is a top-level, reusable object. Knowing about existing knowledge sources is helpful for either reuse or naming new objects.

Run the following code to list knowledge sources by name and type.

# List knowledge sources by name and type
import requests
import json

endpoint = "{search_url}/knowledgesources"
params = {"api-version": "2025-11-01-preview", "$select": "name, kind"}
headers = {"api-key": "{api_key}"}

response = requests.get(endpoint, params = params, headers = headers)
print(json.dumps(response.json(), indent = 2))

You can also return a single knowledge source by name to review its JSON definition.

# Get a knowledge source definition
import requests
import json

endpoint = "{search_url}/knowledgesources/{knowledge_source_name}"
params = {"api-version": "2025-11-01-preview"}
headers = {"api-key": "{api_key}"}

response = requests.get(endpoint, params = params, headers = headers)
print(json.dumps(response.json(), indent = 2))

A knowledge source is a top-level, reusable object. Knowing about existing knowledge sources is helpful for either reuse or naming new objects.

Use Knowledge Sources - Get (REST API) to list knowledge sources by name and type.

### List knowledge sources by name and type
GET {{search-url}}/knowledgesources?api-version=2025-11-01-preview&$select=name,kind
api-key: {{api-key}}

You can also return a single knowledge source by name to review its JSON definition.

### Get a knowledge source definition
GET {{search-url}}/knowledgesources/{{knowledge-source-name}}?api-version=2025-11-01-preview
api-key: {{api-key}}

using Azure.Search.Documents.Indexes;
using System.Text.Json;

var indexClient = new SearchIndexClient(new Uri(searchEndpoint), new AzureKeyCredential(apiKey));

// Get knowledge source ingestion status
var statusResponse = await indexClient.GetKnowledgeSourceStatusAsync(knowledgeSourceName);
var status = statusResponse.Value;

// Serialize to JSON for display
var json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(status, new JsonSerializerOptions { WriteIndented = true });
Console.WriteLine(json);

Reference: SearchIndexClient

# Check knowledge source ingestion status
from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential
from azure.search.documents.indexes import SearchIndexClient
import json

index_client = SearchIndexClient(endpoint="search_url", credential=AzureKeyCredential("api_key"))

status = index_client.get_knowledge_source_status("knowledge_source_name")
print(json.dumps(status.as_dict(), indent=2))

Reference: SearchIndexClient

### Check knowledge source ingestion status
GET {{search-url}}/knowledgesources/{{knowledge-source-name}}/status?api-version={{api-version}}
api-key: {{api-key}}
Content-Type: application/json 

Reference: Knowledge Sources - Get Status

1. Get a list of all knowledge bases on your search service.

   using Azure.Search.Documents.Indexes;
   
   var indexClient = new SearchIndexClient(new Uri(searchEndpoint), credential);
   var knowledgeBases = indexClient.GetKnowledgeBasesAsync();
   
   Console.WriteLine("Knowledge Bases:");
   
   await foreach (var kb in knowledgeBases)
   {
       Console.WriteLine($"  - {kb.Name}");
   }
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

   An example response might look like the following:

    {
        "@odata.context": "https://my-search-service.search.azure.cn/$metadata#knowledgebases(name)",
        "value": [
        {
            "name": "my-kb"
        },
        {
            "name": "my-kb-2"
        }
        ]
    }
   

2. Get an individual knowledge base definition to check for knowledge source references.

   using Azure.Search.Documents.Indexes;
   using System.Text.Json;
   
   var indexClient = new SearchIndexClient(new Uri(searchEndpoint), credential);
   
   // Specify the knowledge base name to retrieve
   string kbNameToGet = "earth-knowledge-base";
   
   // Get a specific knowledge base definition
   var knowledgeBaseResponse = await indexClient.GetKnowledgeBaseAsync(kbNameToGet);
   var kb = knowledgeBaseResponse.Value;
   
   // Serialize to JSON for display
   string json = JsonSerializer.Serialize(kb, new JsonSerializerOptions { WriteIndented = true });
   Console.WriteLine(json);
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

   An example response might look like the following:

    {
      "Name": "earth-knowledge-base",
      "KnowledgeSources": [
        {
          "Name": "earth-knowledge-source"
        }
      ],
      "Models": [
        {}
      ],
      "RetrievalReasoningEffort": {},
      "OutputMode": {},
      "ETag": "\u00220x8DE278629D782B3\u0022",
      "EncryptionKey": null,
      "Description": null,
      "RetrievalInstructions": null,
      "AnswerInstructions": null
    }
   

3. Either delete the knowledge base or, if you have multiple knowledge sources, update the knowledge base to remove the source. This example shows deletion.

   using Azure.Search.Documents.Indexes;
   var indexClient = new SearchIndexClient(new Uri(searchEndpoint), credential);
   
   await indexClient.DeleteKnowledgeBaseAsync(knowledgeBaseName);
   System.Console.WriteLine($"Knowledge base '{knowledgeBaseName}' deleted successfully.");
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

4. Delete the knowledge source.

   await indexClient.DeleteKnowledgeSourceAsync(knowledgeSourceName);
   System.Console.WriteLine($"Knowledge source '{knowledgeSourceName}' deleted successfully.");
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

1. Get a list of all knowledge bases on your search service.

   # Get knowledge bases
   from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential
   from azure.search.documents.indexes import SearchIndexClient
   
   index_client = SearchIndexClient(endpoint = "search_url", credential = AzureKeyCredential("api_key"))
   
   print("Knowledge Bases:")
   for kb in index_client.list_knowledge_bases():
       print(f"  - {kb.name}")
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

   An example response might look like the following:

    {
        "@odata.context": "https://my-search-service.search.azure.cn/$metadata#knowledgebases(name)",
        "value": [
        {
            "name": "my-kb"
        },
        {
            "name": "my-kb-2"
        }
        ]
    }
   

2. Get an individual knowledge base definition to check for knowledge source references.

   # Get a knowledge base definition
   from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential
   from azure.search.documents.indexes import SearchIndexClient
   
   index_client = SearchIndexClient(endpoint = "search_url", credential = AzureKeyCredential("api_key"))
   kb = index_client.get_knowledge_base("knowledge_base_name")
   print(kb)
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

   An example response might look like the following:

    {
      "name": "my-kb",
      "description": null,
      "retrievalInstructions": null,
      "answerInstructions": null,
      "outputMode": null,
      "knowledgeSources": [
        {
          "name": "my-blob-ks",
        }
      ],
      "models": [],
      "encryptionKey": null,
      "retrievalReasoningEffort": {
        "kind": "low"
      }
    }
   

3. Either delete the knowledge base or, if you have multiple knowledge sources, update the knowledge base to remove the source. This example shows deletion.

   # Delete a knowledge base
   from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential 
   from azure.search.documents.indexes import SearchIndexClient
   
   index_client = SearchIndexClient(endpoint = "search_url", credential = AzureKeyCredential("api_key"))
   index_client.delete_knowledge_base("knowledge_base_name")
   print(f"Knowledge base deleted successfully.")
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

4. Delete the knowledge source.

   # Delete a knowledge source
   from azure.core.credentials import AzureKeyCredential 
   from azure.search.documents.indexes import SearchIndexClient
   
   index_client = SearchIndexClient(endpoint = "search_url", credential = AzureKeyCredential("api_key"))
   index_client.delete_knowledge_source("knowledge_source_name")
   print(f"Knowledge source deleted successfully.")
   

   Reference: SearchIndexClient

1. Get a list of all knowledge bases on your search service.

   ### Get knowledge bases
   GET {{search-url}}/knowledgebases?api-version={{api-version}}&$select=name
   api-key: {{api-key}}
   

   Reference: Knowledge Bases - List

   An example response might look like the following:

    {
        "@odata.context": "https://my-search-service.search.azure.cn/$metadata#knowledgebases(name)",
        "value": [
        {
            "name": "my-kb"
        },
        {
            "name": "my-kb-2"
        }
        ]
    }
   

2. Get an individual knowledge base definition to check for knowledge source references.

   ### Get a knowledge base definition
   GET {{search-url}}/knowledgebases/{{knowledge-base-name}}?api-version={{api-version}}
   api-key: {{api-key}}
   

   Reference: Knowledge Bases - Get

   An example response might look like the following:

    {
      "name": "my-kb",
      "description": null,
      "retrievalInstructions": null,
      "answerInstructions": null,
      "outputMode": null,
      "knowledgeSources": [
        {
          "name": "my-blob-ks",
        }
      ],
      "models": [],
      "encryptionKey": null,
      "retrievalReasoningEffort": {
        "kind": "low"
      }
    }
   

3. Either delete the knowledge base or, if you have multiple knowledge sources, update the knowledge base to remove the source. This example shows deletion.

   ### Delete a knowledge base
   DELETE {{search-url}}/knowledgebases/{{knowledge-base-name}}?api-version={{api-version}}
   api-key: {{api-key}}
   

   Reference: Knowledge Bases - Delete

4. Delete the knowledge source.

   ### Delete a knowledge source
   DELETE {{search-url}}/knowledgesources/{{knowledge-source-name}}?api-version={{api-version}}
   api-key: {{api-key}}
   

   Reference: Knowledge Sources - Delete