Update field mappings Generally available

POST /{index}/_mapping
Api key auth Basic auth Bearer auth

All methods and paths for this operation:

PUT /{index}/_mapping

POST /{index}/_mapping

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.

Required authorization

  • Index privileges: manage
External documentation

Path parameters

  • index string | array[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

    If false, the request returns an error if any wildcard expression, index alias, or _all value targets only missing or closed indices. This behavior applies even if the request targets other open indices.

  • expand_wildcards string | array[string]

    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 are all, open, closed, hidden, or none.

  • ignore_unavailable boolean

    If false, the request returns an error if it targets a missing or closed index.

  • master_timeout string

    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.

    External documentation
  • timeout string

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

    External documentation
  • write_index_only boolean

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

application/json

Body Required

  • date_detection boolean

    Controls whether dynamic date detection is enabled.

  • dynamic string

    Controls whether new fields are added dynamically.

    Values are strict, runtime, true, or false.

  • dynamic_date_formats array[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 array[object]

    Specify dynamic templates for the mapping.

  • _field_names object

    Control whether field names are enabled for the index.

    Hide _field_names attribute Show _field_names attribute object
    • 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.

    Hide _meta attribute Show _meta attribute object
    • * object Additional properties
  • numeric_detection boolean

    Automatically map strings into numeric data types for all fields.

    Default value is false.

  • properties object

    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.

    Hide _routing attribute Show _routing attribute object
    • required boolean Required
  • _source object

    Control whether the _source field is enabled on the index.

    Hide _source attributes Show _source attributes object
    • compress boolean
    • compress_threshold string
    • enabled boolean
    • excludes array[string]
    • includes array[string]
    • mode string

      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 are disabled, stored, or synthetic.

  • runtime object

    Mapping of runtime fields for the index.

    Hide runtime attribute Show runtime attribute object
    • * object Additional properties
      Hide * attributes Show * attributes object
      • fields object

        For type composite

        Hide fields attribute Show fields attribute object
        • * object Additional properties
          Hide * attribute Show * attribute object
          • type string Required

            Values are boolean, composite, date, double, geo_point, geo_shape, ip, keyword, long, or lookup.

      • fetch_fields array[object]

        For type lookup

        Hide fetch_fields attributes Show fetch_fields attributes object
        • field string Required

          Path to field or array of paths. Some API's support wildcards in the path to select multiple fields.

        • format string
      • format string

        A custom format for date type runtime fields.

      • input_field string

        For type lookup

      • target_field string

        For type lookup

      • target_index string

        For type lookup

      • script object

        Painless script executed at query time.

        Hide script attributes Show script attributes object
        • source
        • id string

          The id for a stored script.

        • params object

          Specifies any named parameters that are passed into the script as variables. Use parameters instead of hard-coded values to decrease compile time.

          Hide params attribute Show params attribute object
          • * object Additional properties
        • lang
        • options object
          Hide options attribute Show options attribute object
          • * string Additional properties
      • type string Required

        Field type, which can be: boolean, composite, date, double, geo_point, ip,keyword, long, or lookup.

        Values are boolean, composite, date, double, geo_point, geo_shape, ip, keyword, long, or lookup.

Responses

  • 200 application/json
    Hide response attributes Show response attributes object
    • acknowledged boolean Required

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

    • _shards object
      Hide _shards attributes Show _shards attributes 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 array[object]
        Hide failures attributes Show failures attributes object
        • index
        • node string
        • reason
        • shard number
        • status string
        • primary boolean
      • skipped number
POST /{index}/_mapping 
PUT /my-index-000001/_mapping
{
  "properties": {
    "user": {
      "properties": {
        "name": {
          "type": "keyword"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
resp = client.indices.put_mapping(
    index="my-index-000001",
    properties={
        "user": {
            "properties": {
                "name": {
                    "type": "keyword"
                }
            }
        }
    },
)
const response = await client.indices.putMapping({
  index: "my-index-000001",
  properties: {
    user: {
      properties: {
        name: {
          type: "keyword",
        },
      },
    },
  },
});
response = client.indices.put_mapping(
  index: "my-index-000001",
  body: {
    "properties": {
      "user": {
        "properties": {
          "name": {
            "type": "keyword"
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
)
$resp = $client->indices()->putMapping([
    "index" => "my-index-000001",
    "body" => [
        "properties" => [
            "user" => [
                "properties" => [
                    "name" => [
                        "type" => "keyword",
                    ],
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]);
curl -X PUT -H "Authorization: ApiKey $ELASTIC_API_KEY" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"properties":{"user":{"properties":{"name":{"type":"keyword"}}}}}' "$ELASTICSEARCH_URL/my-index-000001/_mapping"
Request example
The update mapping API can be applied to multiple data streams or indices with a single request. For example, run `PUT /my-index-000001,my-index-000002/_mapping` to update mappings for the `my-index-000001` and `my-index-000002` indices at the same time. 
{
  "properties": {
    "user": {
      "properties": {
        "name": {
          "type": "keyword"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}