---
type: api
title: Get a document's source
description: Get the source of a document.
url: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-get-source
resource: https://www.elastic.co/elastic/docs-builder/docs/4493/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-get-source
products:
  - Elasticsearch
---

# Get a document's source

## Paths

- `GET` `/{index}/_source/{id}`

#### Path parameters

- `index` (string) — required
  The name of the index that contains the document.
- `id` (string) — required
  A unique document identifier.

## Description

Get the source of a document.
For example:

```
GET my-index-000001/_source/1
```

You can use the source filtering parameters to control which parts of the `_source` are returned:

```
GET my-index-000001/_source/1/?_source_includes=*.id&_source_excludes=entities
```

[Learn more about _source field](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/mapping-source-field)

## Required authorization

- Index privileges: `read`

## Authentication

- Api key: `Authorization: <value>`
  Elasticsearch APIs support 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}"
  ```
  
  To get API keys, use the `/_security/api_key` APIs.
- Basic: `Authorization: Basic <credentials>`
- Bearer: `Authorization: Bearer <token>`
  Elasticsearch APIs support the use of bearer tokens in the `Authorization` HTTP header to authenticate with the API.
  For examples, refer to [Token-based authentication services](https://www.elastic.co/docs/deploy-manage/users-roles/cluster-or-deployment-auth/token-based-authentication-services)

## Query string parameters

- `preference` (string) — optional
  The node or shard the operation should be performed on.
By default, the operation is randomized between the shard replicas.
- `realtime` (boolean · default: true) — optional
  If `true`, the request is real-time as opposed to near-real-time.
- `refresh` (boolean · default: false) — optional
  If `true`, the request refreshes the relevant shards before retrieving the document.
Setting it to `true` should be done after careful thought and verification that this does not cause a heavy load on the system (and slow down indexing).
- `routing` (union oneOf) — optional
  A custom value used to route operations to a specific shard.
  One of: `string[]` or `string`
- `_source` (union oneOf) — optional
  Indicates whether to return the `_source` field (`true` or `false`) or lists the fields to return.
  One of: `boolean` or `string`
- `_source_excludes` (union oneOf) — optional
  A comma-separated list of source fields to exclude in the response.
  One of: `string[]` or `string`
- `_source_includes` (union oneOf) — optional
  A comma-separated list of source fields to include in the response.
  One of: `string[]` or `string`
- `version` (number) — optional
  The version number for concurrency control.
It must match the current version of the document for the request to succeed.
- `version_type` (enum) — optional
  The version type.

Supported values include:
  - `internal`: Use internal versioning that starts at 1 and increments with each update or delete.
  - `external`: Only index the document if the specified version is strictly higher than the version of the stored document or if there is no existing document.
  - `external_gte`: Only index the document if the specified version is equal or higher than the version of the stored document or if there is no existing document.
NOTE: The `external_gte` version type is meant for special use cases and should be used with care.
If used incorrectly, it can result in loss of data.
  Values: `internal`, `external`, `external_gte`

## Response

`application/json`

Type: `object`

## Code examples

#### Console

```console
GET my-index-000001/_source/1
```

#### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await client.getSource({
  index: "my-index-000001",
  id: 1,
});
```

#### Python

```python
resp = client.get_source(
    index="my-index-000001",
    id="1",
)
```

#### curl

```curl
curl -X GET "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/my-index-000001/_source/1" \
  -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY"
```

#### Java

```java
client.getSource(g -> g
    .id("1")
    .index("my-index-000001")
);
```

#### C#

```c#
var response = await client.GetSourceAsync<MyDocument>(index: "my-index-000001", id: "1");
```

#### PHP

```php
$resp = $client->getSource([
    "index" => "my-index-000001",
    "id" => "1",
]);
```

#### Ruby

```ruby
response = client.get_source(
  index: "my-index-000001",
  id: "1"
)
```