---
title: stack es count cli command
description: Count search results. Behaviour flags: --dry-run — validate all inputs and exit without performing any action 
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4116/reference/elastic-cli/cli/stack/es/count
applies_to:
  - Elastic Cloud Serverless: Preview
  - Elastic Stack: Preview
---

# stack es count cli command
<cli-modifiers>
</cli-modifiers>

```bash
elastic stack es count [options]
```

Count search results.
**Behaviour flags:**
`--dry-run` — validate all inputs and exit without performing any action

## Options

<definitions>
  <definition term="--allow-no-indices">
    A setting that does two separate checks on the index expression.
    If `false`, the request returns an error (1) if any wildcard expression
    (including `_all` and `*`) resolves to zero matching indices or (2) if the
    complete set of resolved indices, aliases or data streams is empty after all
    expressions are evaluated. If `true`, index expressions that resolve to no
    indices are allowed and the request returns an empty result.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--analyzer string">
    The analyzer to use for the query string.
    This parameter can be used only when the `q` query string parameter is specified.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--analyze-wildcard">
    If `true`, wildcard and prefix queries are analyzed.
    This parameter can be used only when the `q` query string parameter is specified.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--default-operator enum">
    The default operator for query string query: `and` or `or`.
    This parameter can be used only when the `q` query string parameter is specified.
    **Values:** and, or
  </definition>
  <definition term="--df string">
    The field to use as a default when no field prefix is given in the query string.
    This parameter can be used only when the `q` query string parameter is specified.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--expand-wildcards enum">
    The type of index that wildcard patterns can match.
    If the request can target data streams, this argument determines whether wildcard expressions match hidden data streams.
    It supports comma-separated values, such as `open,hidden`.
    **Values:** all, open, closed, hidden, none
    **Repeatable:** pass `--expand-wildcards` multiple times to supply more than one value
  </definition>
  <definition term="--ignore-throttled">
    If `true`, concrete, expanded, or aliased indices are ignored when frozen.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--ignore-unavailable">
    If `false`, the request returns an error if it targets a concrete (non-wildcarded)
    index, alias, or data stream that is missing, closed, or otherwise unavailable.
    If `true`, unavailable concrete targets are silently ignored.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--lenient">
    If `true`, format-based query failures (such as providing text to a numeric field) in the query string will be ignored.
    This parameter can be used only when the `q` query string parameter is specified.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--min-score number">
    The minimum `_score` value that documents must have to be included in the result.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--preference string">
    The node or shard the operation should be performed on.
    By default, it is random.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--routing string">
    A custom value used to route operations to a specific shard.
    Not allowed when `index.slice.enabled` is `true` for the target index; use `_slice` instead.
    **Repeatable:** pass `--routing` multiple times to supply more than one value
  </definition>
  <definition term="--stats string">
    Specific `tag` of the request for logging and statistical purposes.
    **Repeatable:** pass `--stats` multiple times to supply more than one value
  </definition>
  <definition term="--terminate-after number">
    The maximum number of documents to collect for each shard.
    If a query reaches this limit, Elasticsearch terminates the query early.
    Elasticsearch collects documents before sorting. IMPORTANT: Use with caution.
    Elasticsearch applies this parameter to each shard handling the request.
    When possible, let Elasticsearch perform early termination automatically.
    Avoid specifying this parameter for requests that target data streams with backing indices across multiple data tiers.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--q string">
    The query in Lucene query string syntax. This parameter cannot be used with a request body.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--query string">
    Defines the search query using Query DSL. A request body query cannot be used
    with the `q` query string parameter.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--index string">
    A comma-separated list of data streams, indices, and aliases to search.
    It supports wildcards (`*`).
    To search all data streams and indices, omit this parameter or use `*` or `_all`.
    **Repeatable:** pass `--index` multiple times to supply more than one value
  </definition>
  <definition term="--error-trace">
    When set to `true` Elasticsearch will include the full stack trace of errors
    when they occur.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--filter-path string">
    Comma-separated list of filters in dot notation which reduce the response
    returned by Elasticsearch.
    **Repeatable:** pass `--filter-path` multiple times to supply more than one value
  </definition>
  <definition term="--human">
    When set to `true` will return statistics in a format suitable for humans.
    For example `"exists_time": "1h"` for humans and
    `"exists_time_in_millis": 3600000` for computers. When disabled the human
    readable values will be omitted. This makes sense for responses being consumed
    only by machines.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--pretty">
    If set to `true` the returned JSON will be "pretty-formatted". Only use
    this option for debugging only.
  </definition>
  <definition term="--input-file string">
    path to a JSON file to use as command input
  </definition>
  <definition term="--dry-run">
    validate all inputs and exit without performing any action (preview changes without applying them)
  </definition>
</definitions>


## Global Options

<definitions>
  <definition term="--json">
    output as JSON
  </definition>
</definitions>