Update field mappings

Auth

Add new fields to an existing data stream or index. You can use the update mapping API to:

  • Add a new field to an existing index
  • Update mappings for multiple indices in a single request
  • Add new properties to an object field
  • Enable multi-fields for an existing field
  • Update supported mapping parameters
  • Change a field's mapping using reindexing
  • Rename a field using a field alias

Learn how to use the update mapping API with practical examples in the Update mapping API examples guide.

More about mapping parameters

Required authorization

Index privileges manage

Path parameters

index union string | string[] required

A comma-separated list of index names the mapping should be added to (supports wildcards). Use _all or omit to add the mapping on all indices.

Query parameters

allow_no_indices boolean · default: true

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 union oneOf · default: open

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

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

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.

timeout string · default: 30s

Period to wait for a response. If no response is received before the timeout expires, the request fails and returns an error.

write_index_only boolean · default: false

If true, the mappings are applied only to the current write index for the target.

Request body

date_detection boolean

Controls whether dynamic date detection is enabled.

dynamic enum

Controls whether new fields are added dynamically.

Values: strict runtime true false
dynamic_date_formats string[]

If date detection is enabled then new string fields are checked against 'dynamic_date_formats' and if the value matches then a new date field is added instead of string.

dynamic_templates string to object[]

Specify dynamic templates for the mapping.

_field_names object

Control whether field names are enabled for the index.

enabled boolean required
_meta object

A mapping type can have custom meta data associated with it. These are not used at all by Elasticsearch, but can be used to store application-specific metadata.

numeric_detection boolean · default: false

Automatically map strings into numeric data types for all fields.

properties map string to oneOf

Mapping for a field. For new fields, this mapping can include:

  • Field name
  • Field data type
  • Mapping parameters
_routing object

Enable making a routing value required on indexed documents.

required boolean required
_source object

Control whether the _source field is enabled on the index.

enabled boolean
excludes string[]
includes string[]
mode enum

Supported values include:

  • disabled
  • stored
  • synthetic: Instead of storing source documents on disk exactly as you send them, Elasticsearch can reconstruct source content on the fly upon retrieval.
Values: disabled stored synthetic
runtime object

Mapping of runtime fields for the index.

Response

application/json
acknowledged boolean required

For a successful response, this value is always true. On failure, an exception is returned instead.

_shards object
failed number required

The number of shards the operation or search attempted to run on but failed.

successful number required

The number of shards the operation or search succeeded on.

total number required

The number of shards the operation or search will run on overall.

failures object[]
index string
node string
reason object required
type string required

The type of error

reason union string nullable

A human-readable explanation of the error, in English.

One of: string
stack_trace string

The server stack trace. Present only if the error_trace=true parameter was sent with the request.

caused_by object
Same fields as reason in failures
root_cause object[]
Same fields as reason in failures
suppressed object[]
Same fields as reason in failures
shard number
status string
primary boolean
skipped number