Count search results

POST /{index}/_count
Api key auth

Get the number of documents matching a query.

The query can be provided either by using a simple query string as a parameter, or by defining Query DSL within the request body. The query is optional. When no query is provided, the API uses match_all to count all the documents.

The count API supports multi-target syntax. You can run a single count API search across multiple data streams and indices.

The operation is broadcast across all shards. For each shard ID group, a replica is chosen and the search is run against it. This means that replicas increase the scalability of the count.

Path parameters

  • index string | array[string] Required

    A comma-separated list of data streams, indices, and aliases to search. It supports wildcards (*). To search all data streams and indices, omit this parameter or use * or _all.

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. For example, a request targeting foo*,bar* returns an error if an index starts with foo but no index starts with bar.

  • analyzer string

    The analyzer to use for the query string. This parameter can be used only when the q query string parameter is specified.

  • analyze_wildcard boolean

    If true, wildcard and prefix queries are analyzed. This parameter can be used only when the q query string parameter is specified.

  • default_operator string

    The default operator for query string query: AND or OR. This parameter can be used only when the q query string parameter is specified.

    Values are and, AND, or, or OR.

  • df string

    The field to use as a default when no field prefix is given in the query string. This parameter can be used only when the q query string parameter is specified.

  • expand_wildcards string | array[string]

    The 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. It supports comma-separated values, such as open,hidden.

  • ignore_throttled boolean Deprecated

    If true, concrete, expanded, or aliased indices are ignored when frozen.

  • ignore_unavailable boolean

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

  • lenient boolean

    If true, format-based query failures (such as providing text to a numeric field) in the query string will be ignored. This parameter can be used only when the q query string parameter is specified.

  • min_score number

    The minimum _score value that documents must have to be included in the result.

  • preference string

    The node or shard the operation should be performed on. By default, it is random.

  • routing string

    A custom value used to route operations to a specific shard.

  • terminate_after number

    The maximum number of documents to collect for each shard. If a query reaches this limit, Elasticsearch terminates the query early. Elasticsearch collects documents before sorting.

    IMPORTANT: Use with caution. Elasticsearch applies this parameter to each shard handling the request. When possible, let Elasticsearch perform early termination automatically. Avoid specifying this parameter for requests that target data streams with backing indices across multiple data tiers.

  • q string

    The query in Lucene query string syntax. This parameter cannot be used with a request body.

application/json

Body

Responses

POST /{index}/_count 
curl \
 --request POST 'http://api.example.com/{index}/_count' \
 --header "Authorization: $API_KEY" \
 --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
 --data '"{\n  \"query\" : {\n    \"term\" : { \"user.id\" : \"kimchy\" }\n  }\n}"'
Request example
Run `GET /my-index-000001/_count?q=user:kimchy`. Alternatively, run `GET /my-index-000001/_count` with the same query in the request body. Both requests count the number of documents in `my-index-000001` with a `user.id` of `kimchy`. 
{
  "query" : {
    "term" : { "user.id" : "kimchy" }
  }
}
Response examples (200)
A successful response from `GET /my-index-000001/_count?q=user:kimchy`. 
{
  "count": 1,
  "_shards": {
    "total": 1,
    "successful": 1,
    "skipped": 0,
    "failed": 0
  }
}