Range query in Elasticsearch - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Output of a basic range query

What is the expected output count of documents matching this Elasticsearch range query on a field age with values from 20 to 30 inclusive?

Elasticsearch

{
  "query": {
    "range": {
      "age": {
        "gte": 20,
        "lte": 30
      }
    }
  }
}

A Documents with age between 20 and 30 inclusive

B Documents with age strictly greater than 20 and less than 30

C Documents with age less than or equal to 30 only

D Documents with age greater than or equal to 20 only

💡 Hint

Remember that gte means 'greater than or equal' and lte means 'less than or equal'.

The range query with gte: 20 and lte: 30 selects documents where the age field is between 20 and 30, including both 20 and 30.

❓ Predict Output

intermediate

Range query with date format

What documents will match this Elasticsearch range query on a date field?

Elasticsearch

{
  "query": {
    "range": {
      "date": {
        "gte": "2023-01-01",
        "lt": "2023-02-01",
        "format": "yyyy-MM-dd"
      }
    }
  }
}

A Documents with date from January 1, 2023 inclusive to February 1, 2023 exclusive

B evisulcxe 3202 ,1 yraurbeF ot evisulcni 3202 ,1 yraunaJ morf etad htiw stnemucoD

C Documents with date from January 1, 2023 inclusive to January 31, 2023 inclusive, but excluding February 1, 2023

D Documents with date from January 1, 2023 inclusive to January 31, 2023 inclusive

💡 Hint

lt means less than, so the upper bound excludes the date specified.

The query selects documents with date greater than or equal to 2023-01-01 and less than 2023-02-01, so it includes all dates in January 2023 but excludes February 1.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Identify the error in this range query

What error will this Elasticsearch range query produce?

Elasticsearch

{
  "query": {
    "range": {
      "price": {
        "gte": 100,
        "lte": 200
      }
    }
  }
}

A Runtime error because price field does not exist

B SyntaxError due to missing comma between gte and lte

C No error, query runs successfully

D TypeError because gte and lte values are not strings

💡 Hint

Check the JSON syntax carefully between the keys.

The JSON is invalid because there is no comma between the gte and lte keys, causing a syntax error.

🧠 Conceptual

advanced

Effect of using only lt in a range query

What documents will match this Elasticsearch range query on a field score?

Elasticsearch

{
  "query": {
    "range": {
      "score": {
        "lt": 50
      }
    }
  }
}

A Documents with score less than or equal to 50

B Documents with score greater than or equal to 50

C Documents with score less than 50

D Documents with score equal to 50 only

💡 Hint

lt means strictly less than the value.

The query matches documents where the score field is strictly less than 50, excluding 50 itself.

🚀 Application

expert

Construct a range query for exclusive bounds

Which Elasticsearch range query matches documents with temperature strictly greater than 10 and strictly less than 20?

A { "query": { "range": { "temperature": { "gte": 11, "lte": 19 } } } }

B { "query": { "range": { "temperature": { "gte": 10, "lte": 20 } } } }

C { "query": { "range": { "temperature": { "gt": 10, "lte": 20 } } } }

D { "query": { "range": { "temperature": { "gt": 10, "lt": 20 } } } }

💡 Hint

Use gt and lt for exclusive bounds.

Using gt: 10 and lt: 20 matches values strictly greater than 10 and strictly less than 20, excluding 10 and 20.

Practice

1. What does a range query in Elasticsearch do?

easy

A. It updates documents with new values.

B. It counts the total number of documents in the index.

C. It finds documents with field values between specified limits.

D. It deletes documents matching a condition.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the purpose of range query

   A range query filters documents where a field's value falls within given boundaries like greater than or less than.

2. Step 2: Compare with other query types

   Counting, updating, or deleting documents are different operations, not done by range queries.

3. Final Answer:

   It finds documents with field values between specified limits. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Range query = filter by value limits [OK]

Hint: Range query filters values between limits using gte, lte, gt, lt [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing range query with count or update operations
• Thinking range query modifies data
• Assuming range query deletes documents

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax for a range query filtering documents where price is greater than or equal to 10 and less than 20?

easy

A. { "range": { "price": { "gte": 10, "lte": 20 } } }

B. { "range": { "price": { "gt": 10, "lte": 20 } } }

C. { "range": { "price": { "gt": 10, "lt": 20 } } }

D. { "range": { "price": { "gte": 10, "lt": 20 } } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify the boundary conditions

   The question asks for price >= 10 and price < 20, which means gte:10 and lt:20.

2. Step 2: Match syntax with conditions

   { "range": { "price": { "gte": 10, "lt": 20 } } } uses gte and lt correctly matching the condition.

3. Final Answer:

   { "range": { "price": { "gte": 10, "lt": 20 } } } -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   gte=10 and lt=20 syntax = { "range": { "price": { "gte": 10, "lt": 20 } } } [OK]

Hint: Match gte/gt and lte/lt exactly to the question limits [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing up gte with gt or lte with lt
• Using wrong operators for boundaries
• Syntax errors like missing braces

3. Given this Elasticsearch query, what documents will it match?

{ "query": { "range": { "age": { "gt": 30, "lte": 40 } } } }

medium

A. Documents where age is greater than 30 and less than or equal to 40.

B. Documents where age is between 30 and 40 inclusive.

C. Documents where age is greater than or equal to 30 and less than 40.

D. Documents where age is exactly 30 or 40.

Solution

1. Step 1: Interpret the range operators

   "gt": 30 means age > 30 (not including 30), "lte": 40 means age ≤ 40 (including 40).

2. Step 2: Understand the matching documents

   Documents with age greater than 30 and less than or equal to 40 will match.

3. Final Answer:

   Documents where age is greater than 30 and less than or equal to 40. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   gt=30 and lte=40 means age >30 and ≤ 40 [OK]

Hint: Remember gt excludes boundary, lte includes boundary [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing gt with gte or lte with lt
• Assuming boundaries are inclusive when they are not
• Misreading the query operators

4. Identify the error in this range query that tries to find documents with date between '2023-01-01' and '2023-12-31':

{ "range": { "date": { "gte": "2023-01-01", "lt": "2023-12-31" } }

medium

A. The field name 'date' must be inside a 'query' object.

B. The query is missing a closing brace '}' at the end.

C. The range query cannot use 'gte' and 'lt' together.

D. The date format is incorrect; it should be timestamps.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check JSON syntax

   The query is missing the final closing brace '}' to close the outer object.

2. Step 2: Validate other parts

   Date format as string is valid in Elasticsearch; using gte and lt together is allowed; 'date' field can be directly inside range.

3. Final Answer:

   The query is missing a closing brace '}' at the end. -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Missing closing brace = syntax error [OK]

Hint: Always check JSON braces and commas carefully [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting to close JSON objects
• Assuming date strings must be timestamps
• Thinking gte and lt cannot be combined

5. You want to filter products priced between 50 and 100 inclusive, but exclude those exactly priced at 75. Which Elasticsearch query correctly applies this logic?

hard

A. { "bool": { "must": { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100 } } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } } }

B. { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100, "neq": 75 } } }

C. { "range": { "price": { "gt": 50, "lt": 100 } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } }

D. { "bool": { "should": { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100 } } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the filtering requirements

   We want prices between 50 and 100 inclusive, so gte:50 and lte:100 in a range query.

2. Step 2: Exclude price exactly 75

   Use a bool query with must for range and must_not for term price=75 to exclude it.

3. Step 3: Check options

   { "bool": { "must": { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100 } } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } } } uses bool with must range and must_not term correctly. { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100, "neq": 75 } } } uses invalid 'neq'. { "range": { "price": { "gt": 50, "lt": 100 } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } } misses bool wrapper. { "bool": { "should": { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100 } } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } } } uses should which is incorrect here.

4. Final Answer:

   { "bool": { "must": { "range": { "price": { "gte": 50, "lte": 100 } } }, "must_not": { "term": { "price": 75 } } } } -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Use bool must + must_not for inclusive range excluding a value [OK]

Hint: Use bool must for range and must_not to exclude values [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using invalid operators like 'neq' in range
• Not wrapping queries in bool for combining conditions
• Using should instead of must for filtering