---
title: Create index from source API
description: The create index from source API copies mappings and settings from a source index or data stream to a destination index or data stream, with optional...
url: https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/elasticsearch/rest-apis/create-index-from-source
products:
  - Elasticsearch
applies_to:
  - Elastic Stack: Generally available
---

# Create index from source API
<admonition title="New API reference">
  For the most up-to-date API details, refer to [Index APIs](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/group/endpoint-indices).
</admonition>

The [create index from source API](https://www.elastic.co/docs/api/doc/elasticsearch/operation/operation-indices-create-from) copies mappings and settings from a source index or data stream to a destination index or data stream, with optional overrides.

## Request

`PUT /_create_from/<source>/<dest>`
`POST/_create_from/<source>/<dest>`

## Prerequisites

- If the Elasticsearch security features are enabled, you must have the `manage` [index privilege](/docs/reference/elasticsearch/security-privileges#privileges-list-indices) for the index.


## Description

This api allows you to add a new index to an Elasticsearch cluster, using an existing source index as a basis for the new index. The settings and mappings from the source index will copied over to the destination index.  You can also provide override settings and mappings which will be combined with the source settings and mappings when creating the destination index.

## Path parameters

<definitions>
  <definition term="<source>">
    (Required, string) Name of the existing source index which will be used as a basis.
  </definition>
  <definition term="<dest>">
    (Required, string) Name of the destination index which will be created.
  </definition>
</definitions>


## Request body

<definitions>
  <definition term="settings_override">
    (Optional, index setting object) [Index settings](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/elasticsearch/index-settings) which override the source settings.
  </definition>
  <definition term="mappings_override">
    (Optional, [mapping object](https://www.elastic.co/docs/manage-data/data-store/mapping)) Mappings which override the source mappings.
  </definition>
  <definition term="remove_index_blocks">
    (Optional, boolean) Filter out any index blocks from the source index when creating the destination index. Defaults to `true`.
  </definition>
</definitions>


## Examples

Start by creating a source index that we’ll copy using this API.
```json

{
  "settings": {
    "index": {
      "number_of_shards": 3,
      "blocks.write": true
    }
  },
  "mappings": {
    "properties": {
        "field1": { "type": "text" }
    }
  }
}
```

Now we create a destination index from the source index. This new index will have the same mappings and settings as the source index.
```json
```

Alternatively, we could override some of the source’s settings and mappings. This will use the source settings and mappings as a basis and combine these with the overrides to create the destination settings and mappings.
```json

{
  "settings_override": {
    "index": {
      "number_of_shards": 5
    }
  },
  "mappings_override": {
    "properties": {
        "field2": { "type": "boolean" }
    }
  }
}
```

Since the destination index is empty, we very likely will want to write into the index after creation. This would not be possible if the source index contains an [index write block](https://www.elastic.co/docs/reference/elasticsearch/index-settings/index-block) which is copied over to the destination index. One way to handle this is to remove the index write block using a settings override. For example, the following settings override removes all index blocks.
```json

{
  "settings_override": {
    "index": {
      "blocks.write": null,
      "blocks.read": null,
      "blocks.read_only": null,
      "blocks.read_only_allow_delete": null,
      "blocks.metadata": null
    }
  }
}
```

Since this is a common scenario, index blocks are actually removed by default. This is controlled with the parameter `remove_index_blocks`, which defaults to `true`. If we want the destination index to contains the index blocks from the source index, we can do the following:
```json

{
  "remove_index_blocks": false
}
```