---
title: Getting started
description: This page guides you through the installation process of the .NET client, shows you how to instantiate the client, and how to perform basic Elasticsearch...
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/getting-started
products:
  - Elasticsearch
  - Elasticsearch .NET Client
  - Elasticsearch Client
---

# Getting started
This page guides you through the installation process of the .NET client, shows you how to instantiate the client, and how to perform basic Elasticsearch operations with it.

### Requirements

- .NET Core, .NET 5+ or .NET Framework (4.6.1 and higher).


### Installation

To install the latest version of the client for SDK style projects, run the following command:
```shell
dotnet add package Elastic.Clients.Elasticsearch
```

Refer to the [*Installation*](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/installation) page to learn more.

### Connecting

You can connect to the Elastic Cloud using an API key and the Elasticsearch endpoint.
```csharp
var client = new ElasticsearchClient("<CLOUD_ID>", new ApiKey("<API_KEY>"));
```

Your Elasticsearch endpoint can be found on the **My deployment** page of your deployment:
![Finding Elasticsearch endpoint](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/images/es-endpoint.jpg)
You can generate an API key on the **Management** page under Security.
![Create API key](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/images/create-api-key.png)
For other connection options, refer to the [*Connecting*](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/connecting) section.

### Operations

Time to use Elasticsearch! This section walks you through the basic, and most important, operations of Elasticsearch. For more operations and more advanced examples, refer to the [*CRUD usage examples*](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/examples) page.

#### Creating an index

This is how you create the `my_index` index:
```csharp
var response = await client.Indices.CreateAsync("my_index");
```


#### Indexing documents

This is a simple way of indexing a document:
```csharp
var doc = new MyDoc
{
    Id = 1,
    User = "flobernd",
    Message = "Trying out the client, so far so good?"
};

var response = await client.IndexAsync(doc, x => x.Index("my_index"));
```


#### Getting documents

You can get documents by using the following code:
```csharp
var response = await client.GetAsync<MyDoc>("my-index", id);

if (response.IsValidResponse)
{
    var doc = response.Source;
}
```


#### Searching documents

This is how you can create a single match query with the .NET client:
```csharp
var response = await client.SearchAsync<Person>(s => s
    .Indices("my_index")
    .From(0)
    .Size(10)
    .Query(q => q
        .Term(t => t
            .Field(x => x.User)
            .Value("flobernd")
        )
    )
);

if (response.IsValidResponse)
{
    var doc = response.Documents.FirstOrDefault();
}
```


#### Updating documents

This is how you can update a document, for example to add a new field:
```csharp
doc.Message = "This is a new message";

var response = await client.UpdateAsync<MyDoc, MyDoc>("my_index", id, u => u
    .Doc(doc)
);
```


#### Deleting documents

```csharp
var response = await client.DeleteAsync("my_index", id);
```


#### Deleting an index

```csharp
var response = await client.Indices.DeleteAsync("my_index");
```


## Further reading

- Refer to the [*Usage recommendations*](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/3016/reference/elasticsearch/clients/dotnet/recommendations) page to learn more about how to use the client the most efficiently.