---
title: Index and search basics
description: This quickstart provides a hands-on introduction to the fundamental concepts of Elasticsearch: indices, documents, and field type mappings. You'll learn...
url: https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/solutions/search/get-started/index-basics
---

# Index and search basics
This quickstart provides a hands-on introduction to the fundamental concepts of Elasticsearch: [indices, documents, and field type mappings](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/manage-data/data-store/index-basics). You'll learn how to create an index, add documents, work with dynamic and explicit mappings, and perform your first basic searches.
<tip>
  The code examples are in [Console](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/explore-analyze/query-filter/tools/console) syntax by default.
  You can [convert into other programming languages](/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/explore-analyze/query-filter/tools/console#import-export-console-requests) in the Console UI.
</tip>


## Requirements

You can follow this guide using any Elasticsearch deployment.
To see all deployment options, refer to [Deploy > Choosing your deployment type](/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/deploy-manage/deploy#choosing-your-deployment-type).
To get started quickly, spin up a cluster [locally in Docker](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/deploy-manage/deploy/self-managed/local-development-installation-quickstart).

## Add data to Elasticsearch

<tip>
  This quickstart uses Elasticsearch APIs, but there are many other ways to [add data to Elasticsearch](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/solutions/search/ingest-for-search).
</tip>

You add data to Elasticsearch as JSON objects called documents.
Elasticsearch stores these documents in searchable indices.
<stepper>
  <step title="Create an index">
    Create a new index named `books`:
    ```json
    ```
    The following response indicates the index was created successfully.
    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "acknowledged": true,
        "shards_acknowledged": true,
        "index": "books"
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
  </step>

  <step title="Add a single document">
    Use the following request to add a single document to the `books` index.
    If the index doesn't already exist, this request will automatically create it.
    ```json

    {
      "name": "Snow Crash",
      "author": "Neal Stephenson",
      "release_date": "1992-06-01",
      "page_count": 470
    }
    ```
    The response includes metadata that Elasticsearch generates for the document, including a unique `_id` for the document within the index.
    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "_index": "books", 
        "_id": "O0lG2IsBaSa7VYx_rEia", 
        "_version": 1, 
        "result": "created", 
        "_shards": { 
          "total": 2, 
          "successful": 2, 
          "failed": 0 
        },
        "_seq_no": 0, 
        "_primary_term": 1 
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
  </step>

  <step title="Add multiple documents">
    Use the [`_bulk` endpoint](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-bulk) to add multiple documents in a single request.
    Bulk data must be formatted as newline-delimited JSON (NDJSON).
    ```json

    { "index" : { "_index" : "books" } }
    {"name": "Revelation Space", "author": "Alastair Reynolds", "release_date": "2000-03-15", "page_count": 585}
    { "index" : { "_index" : "books" } }
    {"name": "1984", "author": "George Orwell", "release_date": "1985-06-01", "page_count": 328}
    { "index" : { "_index" : "books" } }
    {"name": "Fahrenheit 451", "author": "Ray Bradbury", "release_date": "1953-10-15", "page_count": 227}
    { "index" : { "_index" : "books" } }
    {"name": "Brave New World", "author": "Aldous Huxley", "release_date": "1932-06-01", "page_count": 268}
    { "index" : { "_index" : "books" } }
    {"name": "The Handmaids Tale", "author": "Margaret Atwood", "release_date": "1985-06-01", "page_count": 311}
    ```
    You should receive a response indicating there were no errors.
    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "errors": false,
        "took": 29,
        "items": [
          {
            "index": {
              "_index": "books",
              "_id": "QklI2IsBaSa7VYx_Qkh-",
              "_version": 1,
              "result": "created",
              "_shards": {
                "total": 2,
                "successful": 2,
                "failed": 0
              },
              "_seq_no": 1,
              "_primary_term": 1,
              "status": 201
            }
          },
          {
            "index": {
              "_index": "books",
              "_id": "Q0lI2IsBaSa7VYx_Qkh-",
              "_version": 1,
              "result": "created",
              "_shards": {
                "total": 2,
                "successful": 2,
                "failed": 0
              },
              "_seq_no": 2,
              "_primary_term": 1,
              "status": 201
            }
          },
          {
            "index": {
              "_index": "books",
              "_id": "RElI2IsBaSa7VYx_Qkh-",
              "_version": 1,
              "result": "created",
              "_shards": {
                "total": 2,
                "successful": 2,
                "failed": 0
              },
              "_seq_no": 3,
              "_primary_term": 1,
              "status": 201
            }
          },
          {
            "index": {
              "_index": "books",
              "_id": "RUlI2IsBaSa7VYx_Qkh-",
              "_version": 1,
              "result": "created",
              "_shards": {
                "total": 2,
                "successful": 2,
                "failed": 0
              },
              "_seq_no": 4,
              "_primary_term": 1,
              "status": 201
            }
          },
          {
            "index": {
              "_index": "books",
              "_id": "RklI2IsBaSa7VYx_Qkh-",
              "_version": 1,
              "result": "created",
              "_shards": {
                "total": 2,
                "successful": 2,
                "failed": 0
              },
              "_seq_no": 5,
              "_primary_term": 1,
              "status": 201
            }
          }
        ]
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
  </step>

  <step title="Use dynamic mapping">
    [Mappings](/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/manage-data/data-store/index-basics#elasticsearch-intro-documents-fields-mappings) define how data is stored and indexed in Elasticsearch, like a schema in a relational database.If you use dynamic mapping, Elasticsearch automatically creates mappings for new fields.
    The documents you've added so far have used dynamic mapping, because you didn't specify a mapping while creating the index.To see how dynamic mapping works, add a new document to the `books` index with a field that isn't available in the existing documents.
    ```json

    {
      "name": "The Great Gatsby",
      "author": "F. Scott Fitzgerald",
      "release_date": "1925-04-10",
      "page_count": 180,
      "language": "EN" <1>
    }
    ```
    View the mapping for the `books` index with the [get mapping API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-indices-get-mapping).
    The new field `language` has been added to the mapping with a `text` data type.
    ```json
    ```
    The following response displays the mappings that were created by Elasticsearch.
    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "books": {
          "mappings": {
            "properties": {
              "author": {
                "type": "text",
                "fields": {
                  "keyword": {
                    "type": "keyword",
                    "ignore_above": 256
                  }
                }
              },
              "name": {
                "type": "text",
                "fields": {
                  "keyword": {
                    "type": "keyword",
                    "ignore_above": 256
                  }
                }
              },
              "language": {
                "type": "text",
                "fields": {
                  "keyword": {
                    "type": "keyword",
                    "ignore_above": 256
                  }
                }
              },
              "page_count": {
                "type": "long"
              },
              "release_date": {
                "type": "date"
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
  </step>

  <step title="Define explicit mapping">
    Create an index named `my-explicit-mappings-books` and specify the mappings yourself.
    Pass each field's properties as a JSON object.
    This object should contain the [field data type](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/elasticsearch/tree/main/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/field-data-types) and any additional [mapping parameters](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/elasticsearch/tree/main/reference/elasticsearch/mapping-reference/mapping-parameters).
    ```json

    {
      "mappings": {
        "dynamic": false,  <1>
        "properties": {  <2>
          "name": { "type": "text" },
          "author": { "type": "text" },
          "release_date": { "type": "date", "format": "yyyy-MM-dd" },
          "page_count": { "type": "integer" }
        }
      }
    }
    ```
    The following response indicates a successful operation.
    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "acknowledged": true,
        "shards_acknowledged": true,
        "index": "my-explicit-mappings-books"
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
    Explicit mappings are defined at index creation, and documents must conform to these mappings.
    You can also use the [update mapping API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-indices-put-mapping).
    When an index has the `dynamic` flag set to `true`, you can add new fields to documents without updating the mapping, which allows you to combine explicit and dynamic mappings.
    Learn more about [managing and updating mappings](/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/manage-data/data-store/mapping#mapping-manage-update).
  </step>
</stepper>


## Search your data

Indexed documents are available for search in near real-time, using the [`_search` API](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/solutions/search/querying-for-search).
<stepper>
  <step title="Search all documents">
    Use the following request to search all documents in the `books` index:
    ```json
    ```

    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "took": 2, 
        "timed_out": false, 
        "_shards": { 
          "total": 5,
          "successful": 5,
          "skipped": 0,
          "failed": 0
        },
        "hits": { 
          "total": { 
            "value": 7,
            "relation": "eq"
          },
          "max_score": 1, 
          "hits": [
            {
              "_index": "books", 
              "_id": "CwICQpIBO6vvGGiC_3Ls", 
              "_score": 1, 
              "_source": { 
                "name": "Brave New World",
                "author": "Aldous Huxley",
                "release_date": "1932-06-01",
                "page_count": 268
              }
            },
            ... (truncated)
          ]
        }
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
  </step>

  <step title="Search with a match query">
    Use the [`match` query](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/elasticsearch/tree/main/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/query-dsl-match-query) to search for documents that contain a specific value in a specific field. This is the standard query for full-text searches.Use the following request to search the `books` index for documents containing `brave` in the `name` field:
    ```json

    {
      "query": {
        "match": {
          "name": "brave"
        }
      }
    }
    ```

    <tip>
      This example uses [Query DSL](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/explore-analyze/query-filter/languages/querydsl), which is the primary query language for Elasticsearch.
    </tip>

    <dropdown title="Example response">
      ```json
      {
        "took": 9,
        "timed_out": false,
        "_shards": {
          "total": 5,
          "successful": 5,
          "skipped": 0,
          "failed": 0
        },
        "hits": {
          "total": {
            "value": 1,
            "relation": "eq"
          },
          "max_score": 0.6931471, 
          "hits": [
            {
              "_index": "books",
              "_id": "CwICQpIBO6vvGGiC_3Ls",
              "_score": 0.6931471,
              "_source": {
                "name": "Brave New World",
                "author": "Aldous Huxley",
                "release_date": "1932-06-01",
                "page_count": 268
              }
            }
          ]
        }
      }
      ```
    </dropdown>
  </step>
</stepper>


## Delete your indices

If you want to delete an index to start from scratch at any point, use the [delete index API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-indices-delete).
For example, use the following request to delete the indices created in this quickstart:
```json
```

<warning>
  Deleting an index permanently deletes its documents, shards, and metadata.
</warning>


## Next steps

This quickstart introduced the basics of creating indices, adding data, and performing basic searches with Elasticsearch.
To try out similar steps from the Elasticsearch Python client, go to [Build your first search query with Python](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/solutions/search/get-started/keyword-search-python).
The following resources will help you understand Elasticsearch concepts better and dive into the basics of query languages for searching data:
- [Fundamentals of Elasticsearch](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/docs-content/pull/4236/manage-data/data-store)
- [Search and filter with Query DSL](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/elasticsearch/tree/main/reference/query-languages/query-dsl/full-text-filter-tutorial)
- [Search using ES|QL](https://docs-v3-preview.elastic.dev/elastic/elasticsearch/tree/main/reference/query-languages/esql/esql-search-tutorial)