Reindexing data in Elasticsearch - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Reindexing data

📖 Scenario: You have an Elasticsearch index with some documents. You want to copy all documents from this old index to a new index with a different name.

🎯 Goal: Learn how to create a reindex request in Elasticsearch to copy data from one index to another.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a JSON object for the source index named old_index

Create a JSON object for the destination index named new_index

Write the reindex request JSON with source and dest fields

Print the final reindex JSON object

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Reindexing is used when you want to rename an index, change mappings, or move data between clusters.

💼 Career

Knowing how to create and use reindex requests is important for Elasticsearch administrators and developers managing search data.

1

Create the source index JSON

Create a JSON object called source with a key index set to the string "old_index".

Elasticsearch

# Create the source index JSON object
# Your code here

Hint

Use curly braces to create a dictionary with key index and value "old_index".

2

Create the destination index JSON

Create a JSON object called dest with a key index set to the string "new_index".

Elasticsearch

source = {"index": "old_index"}
# Create the destination index JSON object
# Your code here

Hint

Similar to step 1, create a dictionary with key index and value "new_index".

3

Create the reindex request JSON

Create a JSON object called reindex_request with keys source and dest set to the variables source and dest respectively.

Elasticsearch

source = {"index": "old_index"}
dest = {"index": "new_index"}
# Create the reindex request JSON object
# Your code here

Hint

Use a dictionary with keys source and dest pointing to the previously created variables.

4

Print the reindex request JSON

Write a print statement to display the reindex_request JSON object.

Elasticsearch

source = {"index": "old_index"}
dest = {"index": "new_index"}
reindex_request = {"source": source, "dest": dest}
# Print the reindex request JSON object
# Your code here

Hint

Use print(reindex_request) to show the final JSON object.

Practice

1.

What is the main purpose of _reindex API in Elasticsearch?

easy

A. To delete an index permanently

B. To copy data from one index to another

C. To update the Elasticsearch cluster settings

D. To create a new index with default settings

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the function of _reindex

   The _reindex API is designed to copy documents from a source index to a destination index.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from other operations

   Deleting an index, updating cluster settings, or creating new indexes are different APIs and not the purpose of _reindex.

3. Final Answer:

   To copy data from one index to another -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   _reindex copies data [OK]

Hint: Remember: reindex means copying data between indexes [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing reindex with deleting indexes
• Thinking reindex updates cluster settings
• Assuming reindex creates new indexes without data

2.

Which of the following is the correct minimal syntax to reindex data from old_index to new_index using Elasticsearch's REST API?

{
  "source": {"index": "old_index"},
  "dest": {"index": "new_index"}
}

easy

A. { "source": { "index": "old_index" }, "dest": { "index": "new_index" } }

B. { "source": { "index": "new_index" }, "dest": { "index": "old_index" } }

C. { "source": { "index": "old_index" }, "destination": { "index": "new_index" } }

D. { "src": { "index": "old_index" }, "dest": { "index": "new_index" } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Check the required keys for reindex

   The correct keys are source and dest with nested index names.

2. Step 2: Validate the index names and key spelling

   { "source": { "index": "old_index" }, "dest": { "index": "new_index" } } uses correct keys and index names. { "source": { "index": "new_index" }, "dest": { "index": "old_index" } } swaps source and destination incorrectly. { "source": { "index": "old_index" }, "destination": { "index": "new_index" } } uses wrong key destination. { "src": { "index": "old_index" }, "dest": { "index": "new_index" } } uses wrong key src.

3. Final Answer:

   { "source": { "index": "old_index" }, "dest": { "index": "new_index" } } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use source and dest keys exactly [OK]

Hint: Use exact keys: source and dest for reindex JSON [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Swapping source and destination indexes
• Using wrong keys like 'src' or 'destination'
• Misspelling 'dest' or 'source'

3.

Given the following reindex request, what will be the result?

{
  "source": { "index": "products" },
  "dest": { "index": "products_new" },
  "script": {
    "source": "ctx._source.price = ctx._source.price * 1.1"
  }
}

Assuming products has documents with a price field.

medium

A. Only documents with price > 1.1 are copied

B. Documents copied without any price change

C. Reindex fails due to script syntax error

D. All documents copied with price increased by 10%

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the script in reindex

   The script modifies each document's price by multiplying it by 1.1 during reindexing.

2. Step 2: Effect on documents

   All documents from products are copied to products_new with updated price values increased by 10%.

3. Final Answer:

   All documents copied with price increased by 10% -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Script modifies price during reindex [OK]

Hint: Scripts can modify fields during reindexing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming script filters documents instead of modifying
• Thinking script causes syntax error
• Believing price remains unchanged

4.

Identify the error in this reindex request:

{
  "source": { "index": "old_index" },
  "dest": { "index": "new_index" },
  "query": {
    "match": { "status": "active" }
  }
}

medium

A. The query should be inside the "source" object

B. "query" is not allowed inside reindex requests

C. The "match" syntax is incorrect

D. The "dest" index name cannot be "new_index"

Solution

1. Step 1: Check placement of query in reindex

   The query must be inside the source object to filter documents.

2. Step 2: Validate other parts

   The match syntax is correct, and dest index name is valid.

3. Final Answer:

   The query should be inside the "source" object -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Put query inside source to filter during reindex [OK]

Hint: Put filters inside source, not at top level [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing query outside source object
• Misunderstanding match query syntax
• Thinking destination index name is invalid

5.

You want to reindex data from logs_2023 to logs_archive but only include documents where level is "error" and add a new field archived set to true. Which reindex request achieves this?

hard

A. { "source": { "index": "logs_2023", "query": { "match": { "level": "error" } } }, "dest": { "index": "logs_archive" }, "script": { "source": "ctx._source.archived = false" } }

B. { "source": { "index": "logs_2023" }, "dest": { "index": "logs_archive" }, "query": { "term": { "level": "error" } }, "script": { "source": "ctx._source.archived = true" } }

C. { "source": { "index": "logs_2023", "query": { "term": { "level": "error" } } }, "dest": { "index": "logs_archive" }, "script": { "source": "ctx._source.archived = true" } }

D. { "source": { "index": "logs_2023", "query": { "term": { "level": "error" } } }, "dest": { "index": "logs_archive" }, "script": { "source": "ctx._source.archived = false" } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Filter documents by level "error" inside source

   The query with term filter must be inside the source object to select only error level logs.

2. Step 2: Add new field "archived" with value true via script

   The script sets ctx._source.archived = true to add the new field during reindex.

3. Step 3: Validate requests

   The request that places query inside source with term filter for level: "error" and script setting ctx._source.archived = true is correct. Placing query at top level is invalid. Using match instead of term or setting archived to false is incorrect.

4. Final Answer:

   { "source": { "index": "logs_2023", "query": { "term": { "level": "error" } } }, "dest": { "index": "logs_archive" }, "script": { "source": "ctx._source.archived = true" } } -> Option C

5. Quick Check:

   Filter in source + script sets field true [OK]

Hint: Filter inside source; script adds fields during reindex [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing query outside source object
• Setting wrong value for new field
• Using match instead of term for exact filter