Search shards API

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Returns the indices and shards that a search request would be executed against.

GET /my-index-000001/_search_shards

Request

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GET /<target>/_search_shards

Prerequisites

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  • If the Elasticsearch security features are enabled, you must have the view_index_metadata or manage index privilege for the target data stream, index, or index alias.

Description

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The search shards api returns the indices and shards that a search request would be executed against. This can give useful feedback for working out issues or planning optimizations with routing and shard preferences. When filtered aliases are used, the filter is returned as part of the indices section.

Path parameters

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<target>

(Optional, string) Comma-separated list of data streams, indices, and index aliases to search. Wildcard (*) expressions are supported.

To search all data streams and indices in a cluster, omit this parameter or use _all or *.

Query parameters

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allow_no_indices

(Optional, Boolean) If false, the request returns an error if any wildcard expression, index alias, or _all value targets only missing or closed indices. This behavior applies even if the request targets other open indices. For example, a request targeting foo*,bar* returns an error if an index starts with foo but no index starts with bar.

Defaults to true.

expand_wildcards

(Optional, string) Type of index that wildcard expressions can match. If the request can target data streams, this argument determines whether wildcard expressions match hidden data streams. Supports comma-separated values, such as open,hidden. Valid values are:

all
Match any data stream or index, including hidden ones.
open
Match open, non-hidden indices. Also matches any non-hidden data stream.
closed
Match closed, non-hidden indices. Also matches any non-hidden data stream. Data streams cannot be closed.
hidden
Match hidden data streams and hidden indices. Must be combined with open, closed, or both.
none
Wildcard expressions are not accepted.

Defaults to open.

ignore_unavailable
(Optional, Boolean) If false, the request returns an error if it targets a missing or closed index. Defaults to false.
local
(Optional, Boolean) If true, the request retrieves information from the local node only. Defaults to false, which means information is retrieved from the master node.
preference
(Optional, string) Specifies the node or shard the operation should be performed on. Random by default.
routing
(Optional, string) Custom value used to route operations to a specific shard.

Examples

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GET /my-index-000001/_search_shards

The API returns the following result:

{
  "nodes": ...,
  "indices" : {
    "my-index-000001": { }
  },
  "shards": [
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 0,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"0TvkCyF7TAmM1wHP4a42-A"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ],
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 1,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"fMju3hd1QHWmWrIgFnI4Ww"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ],
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 2,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"Nwl0wbMBTHCWjEEbGYGapg"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ],
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 3,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"bU_KLGJISbW0RejwnwDPKw"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ],
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 4,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"DMs7_giNSwmdqVukF7UydA"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ]
  ]
}

Specifying the same request, this time with a routing value:

GET /my-index-000001/_search_shards?routing=foo,bar

The API returns the following result:

{
  "nodes": ...,
  "indices" : {
      "my-index-000001": { }
  },
  "shards": [
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 2,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"fMju3hd1QHWmWrIgFnI4Ww"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ],
    [
      {
        "index": "my-index-000001",
        "node": "JklnKbD7Tyqi9TP3_Q_tBg",
        "primary": true,
        "shard": 3,
        "state": "STARTED",
        "allocation_id": {"id":"0TvkCyF7TAmM1wHP4a42-A"},
        "relocating_node": null
      }
    ]
  ]
}

Because of the specified routing values, the search is only executed against two of the shards.