---
type: api
title: Get an Entity Engine
description: **Spaces method and path for this operation:**
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/kibana/v8/operation/operation-getentityengine
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/kibana/v8/operation/operation-getentityengine
products:
  - Kibana
---

# Get an Entity Engine

- Server: `https://{kibana_url}`

## Paths

- `GET` `/api/entity_store/engines/{entityType}`
- `GET` `/s/{space_id}/api/entity_store/engines/{entityType}`

- [Api key auth](/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/kibana/v8/authentication#apikeyauth)
- [Basic auth](/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4371/api/doc/kibana/v8/authentication#basicauth)

#### Path Parameters

- `entityType` (enum)
  The entity type of the engine.
  Values: `user`, `host`, `service`

## Description

Refer to [Spaces](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/manage-spaces) for more information.

Get the engine descriptor for a specific entity type, including its configuration and current status.

## Response

Successful response

`application/json`

- `delay` (string · pattern: [smdh]$ · default: 1m)
  The delay before the transform processes new data, allowing late-arriving documents to be included.
- `docsPerSecond` (integer)
  Throttle value for the number of documents processed per second. Use -1 for no throttle.
- `error` (object)
  Present when the engine status is `error`. Describes the failure.
  - `action` (enum)
    The lifecycle action that caused the error.
    Values: `init`
  - `message` (string)
    A human-readable error message.
- `fieldHistoryLength` (integer)
  The number of historical values retained per field.
- `filter` (string)
  An optional Kibana Query Language (KQL) filter applied to source documents before aggregation.
- `frequency` (string · pattern: [smdh]$ · default: 1m)
  How often the transform runs.
- `indexPattern` (string)
  An additional Elasticsearch index pattern to include as a source for entity data. Merged with the default data view indices when the engine runs.
- `lookbackPeriod` (string · pattern: [smdh]$ · default: 24h)
  How far back the transform looks when calculating aggregations.
- `status` (enum)
  The current operational status of an entity engine.
  Values: `installing`, `started`, `stopped`, `updating`, `error`
- `timeout` (string · pattern: [smdh]$ · default: 180s)
  The timeout for initializing the aggregating transform.
- `timestampField` (string)
  The field used as the timestamp for source documents.
- `type` (enum)
  The type of entity.
  Values: `user`, `host`, `service`
## Code Examples

#### Console

```console
GET /api/entity_store/engines/{entityType}
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X GET "https://{kibana_url}/api/entity_store/engines/{entityType}"
```

## Response Examples

#### A running host engine

Returns the engine descriptor for a host engine that is currently running with default settings.

```json
{
  "delay": "1m",
  "fieldHistoryLength": 10,
  "frequency": "1m",
  "indexPattern": "",
  "lookbackPeriod": "24h",
  "status": "started",
  "timeout": "180s",
  "timestampField": "@timestamp",
  "type": "host"
}
```