---
type: api
title: Snapshot lifecycle management
description: Snapshot lifecycle management (SLM) APIs enable you to set up policies to automatically take snapshots and control how long they are retained.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/group/endpoint-slm
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/group/endpoint-slm
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Snapshot lifecycle management

`slm`

Snapshot lifecycle management (SLM) APIs enable you to set up policies to automatically take snapshots and control how long they are retained.

[Learn more about creating a snapshot.](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/8.19/snapshots-take-snapshot.html)

- [Get policy information
](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-get-lifecycle): `GET` `/_slm/policy/{policy_id}`, `GET` `/_slm/policy`
- [Create or update a policy](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-put-lifecycle): `PUT` `/_slm/policy/{policy_id}`
- [Delete a policy](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-delete-lifecycle): `DELETE` `/_slm/policy/{policy_id}`
- [Run a policy](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-execute-lifecycle): `PUT` `/_slm/policy/{policy_id}/_execute`
- [Run a retention policy](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-execute-retention): `POST` `/_slm/_execute_retention`
- [Get snapshot lifecycle management statistics](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-get-stats): `GET` `/_slm/stats`
- [Get the snapshot lifecycle management status](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-get-status): `GET` `/_slm/status`
- [Start snapshot lifecycle management](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-start): `POST` `/_slm/start`
- [Stop snapshot lifecycle management](https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/elasticsearch/v8/operation/operation-slm-stop): `POST` `/_slm/stop`