---
type: api
title: Check aliases
description: **All methods and paths for this operation:**
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch-serverless/operation/operation-indices-exists-alias
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch-serverless/operation/operation-indices-exists-alias
products:
  - Elasticsearch Serverless
---

# Check aliases


## Paths

- `HEAD` `/{index}/_alias/{name}`
- `HEAD` `/_alias/{name}`

#### Path parameters

- `index` (union string | string[]) — optional, leave it out to use `/_alias/{name}`
  Comma-separated list of data streams or indices used to limit the request. Supports wildcards (`*`).
To target all data streams and indices, omit this parameter or use `*` or `_all`.
- `name` (union string | string[]) — required
  Comma-separated list of aliases to check. Supports wildcards (`*`).

## Description

Check if one or more data stream or index aliases exist.

## Authentication

- Api key: `Authorization: <value>`
  Elasticsearch APIs use key-based authentication.
  You must create an API key and use the encoded value in the request header.
  For example:
  
  
  ```
  curl -X GET "${ES_URL}/_cat/indices?v=true" \
    -H "Authorization: ApiKey ${API_KEY}"
  ```
  
  For more information about where to find API keys for the Elasticsearch endpoint (${ES_URL}) for a project, go to [Get started with Elasticsearch Serverless](https://www.elastic.co/docs/solutions/search/serverless-elasticsearch-get-started).

## Query string parameters

- `allow_no_indices` (boolean · default: true) — optional
  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.
- `expand_wildcards` (string · default: all) — optional
  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.
Supports comma-separated values, such as `open,hidden`.

Supported values include:
  - `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.
  Values: `all`, `open`, `closed`, `hidden`, `none`
- `ignore_unavailable` (boolean · default: false) — optional
  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.
- `master_timeout` (string · default: 30s) — optional
  Period to wait for a connection to the master node.
If no response is received before the timeout expires, the request fails and returns an error.

## Response

`application/json`

## Code examples

#### Console

```console
HEAD _alias/my-alias
```

#### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await client.indices.existsAlias({
  name: "my-alias",
});
```

#### Python

```python
resp = client.indices.exists_alias(
    name="my-alias",
)
```

#### curl

```curl
curl "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/_alias/my-alias" \
  --head \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY"
```

#### Java

```java
client.indices().existsAlias(e -> e
    .name("my-alias")
);
```

#### C#

```c#
var response = await client.Indices
    .ExistsAliasAsync(new ExistsAliasRequest()
    {
        Name = new[] { "my-alias" }
    });
```

#### PHP

```php
$resp = $client->indices()->existsAlias([
    "name" => "my-alias",
]);
```

#### Ruby

```ruby
response = client.indices.exists_alias(
  name: "my-alias"
)
```